Right Here
by Zutara Fan Forever
Summary: Prince Zuko captures Katara during one of his exhibitions to capture Aang, but when his father takes Katara captive, Zuko finds himself wanting her back for more then just luring the Avatar to him. Zutara
1. Captured

**_Right Here – Chapter 1 – Captured – By Serenity Rose Wheeler_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of its characters so please do not sue me!

**Hello! Well, this is my very first Avatar story! Yeah, finally! Well, I hope you all will like it and please comment! **

As Always…

"Talking"

'Thinking'

(A/N, Change of POV, Flashbacks, and Ending and Beginning Chapters)

_Summary: Prince Zuko captures Katara during one of his exhibitions to capture Aang, but when his father takes Katara captive, Zuko finds himself wanting her back for more then just luring the Avatar to him._

(On With The Story!)

Zuko sat on his bed with his face buried in his hands for the third time that night. He felt the beads of sweat slowly making their way down his face and dripping on the cold floor below him. His breathing was short and ragged as he tried to get the imagines of his continuing and haunting nightmare from his mind. His lips were slightly agape as he felt his body physically tremble. "Damn, why this dream again?" he whispered to himself after taking his face from his hands.

He laid his hands at his side and kept his eyes on the darkened floor. His eye momentarily went to the window where the sky was still dark. He looked at the floor again and tried to calm himself down before he lay back on the bed again. He laid his head on the pillow and knew he had to do something to get those stupid images from his mind. After 5 more minutes of fighting to go asleep, he sat up and threw his legs over the bed.

He placed his feet back on the floor before standing up and picking up his pants. After slipping them on, he headed to the door to get some really early morning training done. He quietly walked past his Uncle Iroh's room hearing the elderly man snore like a foghorn. "God, my uncle sleeps like the dead…" Zuko groaned as he walked outside on the deck. When Zuko was outside, he felt the warm sea breeze and saw the sky slowly changing from black to a dark blue.

Zuko shook his head from his thoughts knowing he needed to concentrate. He began to train being quiet so he wouldn't wake up the crew. A few hours passed and he fell to the ground on his ass exhausted. He felt his chest heaving as he tried to regain the breath he lost. "Good morning, Prince Zuko. Why are you up so early?" His Uncle Iroh greeted making sure to follow it with a question.

"Training." Zuko replied dryly.

"Oh." Iroh said before walking over to his nephew and standing next to the teen. "When did you get up?"

"I would say around three or four maybe." Zuko replied as he stood shakily to his feet.

"That's not good, Prince Zuko. You need your rest." Iroh said as he laid his hand on Zuko's shoulder finding it dripping wet. "Ew! Zuko, you're sweating so much!" Iroh said ripping his hand away from his nephew's shoulder.

"What do you think training does?" Zuko asked sarcastically as he started to walk toward the stern of the boat.

"I know that, but why so much?" Iroh asked as he tried to wipe his hand on his clothes.

"I don't know." Zuko replied as he leaned on the railing of the ship.

"Listen, if something is bothering you, you know you can tell me." Iroh said noticing his nephew was more distant then usual.

"I don't want to talk about it. We'll have to start looking for the Avatar anyway." Zuko replied changing the subject and heading back inside. Iroh sighed and shook his head as he watched his nephew leave.

Inside, Zuko walked over to the restroom and took off his clothes before entering the shower. He turned on the water and let the cold water hit his tired and hot body. He sighed deeply as he felt the water hit his face and dip into the crevices of his scar. He knew he had to get going, so he quickly washed before he got out of the shower and threw a towel around his waist. "Prince Zuko?" General Iroh asked as he knocked on the bathroom door.

"What is it, uncle?" Zuko asked as he picked up his discarded clothes.

"Breakfast is on, come on down after you get dressed." Iroh replied.

"I'm not hungry." Zuko said.

"Why not? You should be, you didn't even eat dinner last night!" Iroh argued.

"I'm just not hungry, okay?" Zuko implied as he waited for his uncle to leave before he exited the bathroom. Zuko heard footsteps getting quieter and quieter before he opened the door and headed to his room. After he got dressed, he walked out to the back of the ship and looked into the shy and wondered if they would even spot the Avatar today.

"Sir! We spotted the Avatar!" one of his crewmates shouted as they ran up to him.

Zuko smirked when he heard the man shout it. 'I guess this day isn't going to be so bad after all…'

(On Appa)

"Isn't today so beautiful, Sokka?" Katara asked as she leaned her head on her hand and watched the sky.

"Yeah, whatever, but it doesn't change the fact that we need more food!" Sokka said angrily as he dug through the food bag trying to find even the smallest crumb.

"Oh, get off it, Sokka, we'll be in a town soon, don't get all worked up." Katara replied as she sat up. Momo jumped in her lap as she scratched his head waiting for Sokka to say something stupid in reply.

"I might die of starvation here!" Sokka said as he walked up to Appa's head to where Aang was sitting. "Hurry it up, Aang!"

"Sokka, don't worry, we'll be there soon!" Aang told his friend as he tried to ignore Sokka's whimpering.

"Whimpering isn't going to get you what you want, Sokka, if you just wait and be patient about it, we'll be there sooner then you think." Katara said as she crossed her arms.

"Oh sure, it's easier said then done…" Sokka replied as he slumped down on Appa's back and held his growling stomach. After five minutes of somewhat peace and quiet besides Sokka's loud stomach, a cannon went off.

"**What on earth**?" Katara shouted as she looked off the edge of Appa and seen a Fire Nation ship.

"What is it, Katara?" Aang asked as he tried to calm Appa down after the loud boom.

"It's a Fire Nation ship! Step on it, Aang!" Katara shouted as she quickly crawled over to the top of Appa's head.

"Hold on, everyone!" Aang shouted as he pulled Appa's reigns back so the large bison would fly higher. Katara was about to grab onto the side of Appa, but stopped when she seen Momo couldn't find anything to hang onto.

"Momo!" Katara shouted as the lemur jumped over to Sokka and grabbed his leg. Katara smiled knowing he would be safe, but gasped when she noticed she had nothing to hang onto. She reached for the side, but her hand wasn't quick enough and she fell off of Appa's back and headed to the water 125 feet below.

"**Katara**!" Sokka shouted as he watched his younger sister fall to the deadly waves below knowing she would never make the fall.

"**Sokka**!" Katara shouted as she extended her hand toward the bison above.

"**No**! **Katara**!" Aang shouted as he tried to have Aang turn around, but he was too far into the upward position that if he turned now, he could seriously injure himself and get them all killed.

Katara looked at her friends getting smaller and smaller as she felt the wind stinging her delicate skin as she fell to the water's below. She knew this was it. Even if she did make the fall, the Fire nation soldier's would have no mercy. Zuko saw a small object falling to them from the deck and it kept getting bigger. "What the hell?" Zuko asked himself as he tried to figure out what it was.

Zuko gasped when he seen it to be a person. "Oh God!" Zuko shouted as he noticed how fast they were falling and the distance they fell from. He ran to the end of the ship as the object got bigger and he timed it perfectly as he was about to jump and grab whomever it was in mid-air. He only wanted to capture the Avatar; he truthfully didn't want anyone to die. He waited for the exact moment before they were close enough and in range.

Zuko sighed before jumping and grabbing Katara in middle air after jumping off the ship and heading toward the water only 25 feet down. Zuko hit the water and felt the sting and pain on his skin, but he didn't care now. "Prince Zuko!" he heard his uncle shouting. Zuko surfaced and blinked a few times before he noticed the unconscious girl the Avatar traveled with in his arms. "Are you alright?" Iroh asked in relief when he seen his nephew surface.

"I'm fine!" Zuko shouted as he waited for his uncle to throw him a ladder or something. After Zuko got back on the boat, his crewmates and even his uncle gave him a strange look when he stood in front of them dripping wet and a young beautiful Water Bender in his arms.

"Zuko --- What? Who?" General Iroh stuttered when he thought of anything to say.

"Don't say it. Don't ask why either because I don't know…" Zuko replied before he headed to the inside of the ship. He knew the Avatar had gotten away anyway, but now he had a way to draw the Avatar to him instead of the other way around…

(To Be Continued…)


	2. Pure Confusion

**_Right Here – Chapter 2 – Pure Confusion – By Serenity Rose Wheeler_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters.

**Hello! Wow, thank you for all the reviews! Well, here's the second chapter to my first Avatar story! Well, please remember to review, but no flames please!**

(On With The Story!)

(Zuko's POV)

I carried the Waterbender inside the ship and walked over to my bedroom. God, I had no idea what brought my to the point of actually saving her life. I needed to get help. My heart was getting too soft lately. First, I let the Avatar go, and now, saving this worthless peasant's life? "Prince Zuko?" I heard my uncle's voice say behind me as I heard his footsteps running up to me.

"What do you want, uncle?" I growled as I was totally not in the mood to talk about this. I felt my hair gently dripping on the floor behind me. Damn, I needed another shower…

"Why did you do that?" he asked as we walked into my room.

"I told you, I don't know. What's done is done uncle, and I don't want to hear another word about it." I snapped.

"Alright, alright, Prince Zuko." I heard my uncle say as I laid the Waterbender on my bed. She was still dripping wet and I knew she could get pneumonia if I didn't remove her clothes and get her into dry warm ones. Wait, why should I care? I did my part by saving her life; I shouldn't have to pamper her…

"Here." I heard my uncle say as I felt a warm blanket drape my shoulders. "You must be cold. I turned around to look at him. He cared too much for me… I didn't deserve someone like that…

"Thank you." I said dryly as I turned back to look to the Waterbender named Katara. Yeah, I knew their names… They yell it so much to each other it's pretty self-explanatory to figure out who's who.

"We should get her warm." Uncle Iroh said as he walked forward a few steps to stand next to me.

"I'm sure as hell am not going to undress her!" I snapped.

"Oh, Prince Zuko, there's no need for cursing. We are in the presence of a lady…" My uncle said. God, did he always have to act like this around every woman we met?

"I think you're using the term a little loosely, uncle…" I said before I felt him nudge me.

"She's waking up." Uncle Iroh said as I looked back down at her and seen her eyelids fluttering momentarily before they closed and she was still again.

"Joy. I'm going to go take a shower." I replied before I left the room. I walked into the bathroom again and stripped of my wet clothing. I got into the shower and turned it on warm this time. After I was done, I got back out and threw a towel around my waist and scooped up my wet clothes from the floor before walking over to my room again.

I walked in and saw my uncle sitting by the peasant's side drinking his normal ginger tea like he did every night. "Nice shower, Prince Zuko?" he asked as he noticed my presence.

"Sure, let's go with that." I replied dryly as I walked over to my closet and grabbed some pants.

"Prince Zuko, why did you let the Avatar get away?" Uncle Iroh asked me. Didn't I tell him to drop it? I had no idea why I risked my life saving her ass and losing the Avatar in the same 5 minutes!

"I told you uncle, I don't know what I was thinking…" I replied as I dropped my towel and started to get dressed.

"Zuko, you shouldn't dress in front of her…" I heard my uncle say.

"Uncle, she's passed out, I doubt she'll wake up to see anything." I replied as I threw on a shirt.

"But still, it's improper." My uncle said. God, what was with him and his 'politeness' with women? Like that Jun lady! God, could his eyes get any bigger when he seen her? I mean, I think it's kind of gross to think about that when you're his age… Eww… I mean, damn! I don't even think about those things! Well, of course, sex is—Oh, God, what am I thinking? "You look tired, Prince Zuko…"

"I am." I replied truthfully as I walked over to him.

"Well, you should get some sleep." He said. I looked down at the Waterbender.

"Uh… Did you change her?" I asked in disgust.

"Well, I was, but her coat is the only thing that got wet. She already had a dress under it that was dry." Uncle Iroh replied.

"Good. Well, I'll stay here with her. It's my fault in the first place." I said as I sat on the edge of her bed. That's when Uncle Iroh gave me the creepiest smile I've ever seen. "What?" I snapped.

"Do you like her?" he asked.

"What?" I shouted as I stood up.

"It's completely fine. She's a very cute girl." He replied. Cute? Yeah right! She wishes!

"You've got to be kidding…" I said as I held my mouth agape.

"No! I mean, if I was your age, and…" my uncle started before I put my hands over my ears.

"I don't want to hear it, uncle!" I said as I tried my hardest to block out and hearing possible.

"Okay then." I heard him say once he motioned that he stopped talking about that subject. "Well, you get some sleep. I want to help train you tomorrow. Oh, and Zuko, what are we going to do about her?" My uncle asked as he stopped at the door.

"Well, if we keep her, the Avatar will come to us…" I replied simply as I sat down in the chair.

"I think we should give her back!" my uncle said. "She's a girl! We can't take her captive!"

"Listen, we're not going to kill her or torture her or anything!" I snapped.

"I know that, but…" he tried to tell me, but I put up my hand really not wanting to hear it.

"We're keeping her here until the Avatar comes to get her and we'll capture him and give her back to her annoying brother." I replied. My uncle sighed hearing what I told him.

"Okay, but I think this is wrong and I want no part of it." My uncle said before he left the room. After he left the room, I leaned back in the chair. I closed my eyes as I tried to fall asleep, but the gentle flicker of the fire on my wall was driving my crazy. But if that damn girl woke up when it was pure dark, she would most likely freak out and scream, waking me up…

So, I reluctantly closed my eyes and I fell asleep a few minutes later…

(Normal POV)

The night continued to roll on as Katara started to stir. She opened her ocean blue eyes and blinked a few times to clear her vision. After her vision was clear, the first thing she saw was a ceiling. "Am I in Heaven?" she asked herself as she tried to think of the last few memories she had to see if she could remember anything after the fall. She looked over to her right and gasped when she seen Prince Zuko.

She quickly flew up in bed as she slammed her back against the wall that was on the left of the bed. "Zuko?" she asked herself as she felt her heart beating quickly in her chest. She was about to run out of here as fast as she could to go find Aang and Sokka, but she stopped when she noticed Zuko started to tremble in his sleep. Her features softened as she looked at the Prince in concern.

"Zuko?" she asked. She had never seen him like this. She wondered where she was and what happened to her while she was sleeping. Zuko started to shake and tried to turn and almost fell of the chair he was sitting on. "Oh God!" she whispered as she jumped off the bed and caught him. He fell in her arms. She felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she felt his head lying in the dip of her shoulder and her cold hands touching the heat emitting from his body.

Katara pushed him up slightly so he was sitting back on it again. She saw him start to shake violently and wonder if she should wake him up, but if she did, he might get really mad and she still had no idea what had happened. She reluctantly walked over to the bed and lay down and turned her head from him and bit her bottom lip. She closed her eyes just hoping he'd get better so her guilt wouldn't change her better judgment.

After she fell into a restless sleep, Zuko's eyes flew open. He felt the cold sweat felling from his skin as he looked over at the sleeping Waterbender and sighed deeply. Zuko sighed in relief as he got up from the chair. "Damn! Why that damn nightmare again?" Zuko growled as Katara opened her eyes. Katara thought she should just remain unmoving when she felt Zuko sit himself on the edge of the bed she was laying on.

Katara quickly closed her eyes as she pretended she was asleep. Zuko looked at her and the first thing he noticed was that she was faking. Zuko smirked when he shook his head before he reached over and started to touch her hair. Katara started to get chills up her spine when she felt his fingers gently probing and massaging her hair and scalp. She started to breath hard but tried to hide it, but failed miserably.

"It's too bad we're so different… If this war wasn't going on and there was no controversy between nations, we might be in a different situation…" she heard Zuko purr as he brought this face down to her neck and she felt his breath and his lashes gently tickling her skin. She remembered this feeling when the pirates captured her and Zuko spoke into her ear. She remembered his rare soft voice and his way of just trying to get what he wanted. He fascinated her in a unique way.

Katara knew that he was her enemy and she shouldn't trust anything he said, but why the hell was he sounding so sincere? She froze when she felt his soft lips start to gently tease the skin on her neck every so softly. "If only things were different…" Zuko whispered before pulling away thinking that she was good to stay that still. He smirked to himself before standing up and leaving the room. Katara felt the extra weight leave the edge of the bed and after hearing the door shut, she opened her eyes and let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.

Katara lifted her hand and touched the skin on her neck that he so gently played with. She had no idea in hell he could make her feel those things. Of course he was talented with his Firebending and was very athletic and strong, but to be that passionate and gentle? He was always yelling at them or ordering something, but in those moments, his voice was soft. It was… different… You would never expect his voice to be that gentle, but it was…

Katara shook those feelings from her head and wondered how the hell she would be able to go back to sleep now. She thought about what Zuko said. 'If only things were different…' Those words were like a record in her head that kept playing over and over. If things were different, like if Aang never had run away, he could have died during the hostile takeover of the Air Temple. If this happened, she never would have met him, Appa, or Momo.

Katara wondered if Zuko meant what he said. She knew his heart was cold but there was something else there. He was determined and one of the most motivated people she had ever met. She hated Zuko, but another part of her was purely fascinated beyond belief with the Firebender. She heard footsteps outside the door and thought they were going to pass by when they stopped and she saw the door open and see General Iroh standing in the doorway.

(To Be Continued…)


	3. Fear Is Irrelevant

**_Right Here – Chapter 3 – Fear Is Irrelevant – By Serenity Rose Wheeler_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of its characters, so please do not sue me!

**Hello! Wow, thank you for all the reviews! Well, here's chapter 3! I hope you all will like it, and please, no flames!**

(On With The Story!)

"No, don't be afraid." General Iroh said as he held up his hands to show her he meant her no harm.

"What happened?" Katara asked as she was still a little shaken up. General Iroh approached her before sitting down and the chair and folding his hands on his lap.

"I'm really not sure… Well, I guess we surprised you when we shot the cannon at the large bison. After that, I guess you just fell off." General Iroh replied.

"I know that, but what happened afterward?" Katara urged as she desperately wanted to know how she ended up on their ship without breaking her neck.

After a long sigh, General Iroh pursed his lips and leaned a little to his right to see if anyone was coming outside the door. "My nephew probably won't like for me to tell you this, but when you were falling, he jumped off the ship and caught you in mid-air so the fall itself wouldn't kill you." Iroh explained as Katara's eyes grew wide.

"Zu -- Zuko saved me life?" Katara asked as her voice gently faltered.

"Yes." General Iroh replied as he laid his hand on her shoulder.

"Why?" Katara asked as she started at the General with desperate eyes.

"He didn't tell me. He just said he didn't know." Iroh replied. Katara sighed gently hearing his reply and trying to find some reason why the hell Zuko would even care if any of their lives were in danger. All he cared about was catching the Avatar. Didn't he? "But if Zuko asks, don't tell him that I told you, okay? It's our secret."

"Of course." Katara said knowing Zuko would blow up if he knew that he told her.

"Alright then. I'll go get you something to eat." General Iroh said as he stood up and headed toward the door. Katara just smiled warily and lay back down on the bed again. Katara shifted wondering how on earth anyone could sleep on such a hard bed.

"Awake yet?" Zuko asked from the doorway. Katara gasped as she looked up and seen Zuko leaning against the doorframe as his arms were crossed. Katara didn't answer as she just remembered how Iroh told her that this teen standing in front of her saved her life. The longer she looked at him, the more she remembered how his lips and fingers felt on her neck and hair. Her whole body tingled at the thought.

"Zuko…" Katara whispered. Zuko looked at her in a puzzling manner as he wondered what that look was for. She looked as if she was about to cry or something.

"Listen, My Uncle Iroh is going to be looking after you now. When the Avatar comes to get you, we'll give you back to your pathetic weakling of a brother. So, you're only going to stay here as long as that Avatar keeps stalling." Zuko said before leaving the room as quickly as he came.

Katara gave the place where he was just standing a dirty look. She had no idea why she was having those thoughts before. She couldn't believe that she forgot what a total pompous asshole the guy could be. "Here you go!" General Iroh said happily as he walked into the room with a bowl full of steamy rice, chicken, and vegetables with a small glass of water on the side of it.

Katara half smiled at the General and wondered why Iroh was so nice while Zuko was a royal pain in the ass. "Thank you." Katara said in a fiery voice as she accepted the food that Iroh offered to her.

"You're welcome. You eat up and I'll be back in 20 minutes with a change of clothes for you." Iroh said before walking out of the bedroom.

Katara sighed deeply as she placed the chopsticks to her mouth and took a small bite. After one bite, Katara put the chopsticks down and took another deep breath and let it out slowly. God, Zuko would aggravate a person beyond belief. He was such an arrogant bastard… Katara looked at the small glass of water and motioned her hand and began to waterbend the small amount of water in the cup.

"Hello!" Iroh said loudly when he walked in making Katara whip the water toward the elderly General. Iroh reacted quickly and used a small amount of fire that dissolved the small amount used for the water whip.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! You startled me!" Katara said as she started to breath hard.

"Oh no, it's alright." General Iroh replied as he walked in with a few articles of clothing under his arm.

"You're a good bender." Katara complimented.

"You're not so bad yourself." He replied as he laid the clothed on the edge of the bed. "Who taught you how to waterbend?" Iroh asked a few minutes later after sitting down on the chair next to the bed.

"I taught myself. You see, there was no one in the village that knew waterbending except for me when I left to help Aang go to the North Pole." Katara replied. For some reason, she felt she could trust Iroh and tell him practically anything. He kind of felt like he was just a friendly old man whom you could tell anything without getting judged. Kind of like a grandfather actually.

"I taught Prince Zuko everything that I knew, and I think he's already surpassed me. I had no idea why his father treated him like he did…" Iroh said with sorrow lacing his gentle voice. Katara looked over at Iroh and gave him a curious look at what he just told her.

"You taught him?" Katara asked.

"Yes. His father never had the time and didn't really want anything to do with Zuko. Zuko is like a son to me… More especially, since… Oh, never mind. It's best I let you get some rest. It's still quite early." Iroh replied before he soot up and started to head for the door. "Get some rest. No one will bother you. Oh, and change if you want. That dress doesn't seem very warm." He said before he exited the door and closed it behind him.

Katara sighed as she shivered in her thin dress. It was weird that she didn't feel cold until he mentioned it. She looked at the clothes and stood up. She took off her dress and adjusted her bra strap as she wondered how long time wise she would be here. She knew that Aang and Sokka would look for her soon so she wouldn't have to stay here very long. After she put on the short-sleeved shirt and athletic pants, she plopped on the bed again.

Katara smiled as she felt the comfortable fabric surrounding her. She had no idea why, but these clothes were really comfortable… She lay back down on the bed and stared at the ceiling and her eyes trailed to the Fire Nation symbol painted in red on the wall. She had to accept that she was practically being held hostage here. It was strange knowing that someone could walk in here at any second and burn her to a crisp.

But Katara also knew that Zuko was smart enough to keep her alive to lure Aang to him. She heard a knock on the door and mumbled, "Come in." Zuko walked in when she said that and she gave him a dirty look from what he said this morning.

"What's your problem?" Zuko hissed when she walked pass her and nearly tripped on the dress she had lying on the floor. Katara tried hard not to laugh, but Zuko quickly recovered and gently kicked it to the side.

"Maybe you're my problem!" she shouted trying her hardest not to burst out laughing.

"Why don't you just shut up before I change my mind about keeping you alive?" Zuko threatened as he took one of the two swords off the wall. Katara was quite terrified knowing that Zuko had a bad temper and the fuse to set it off was quite short…

"Now, Zuko, cut that out and let her get some rest." General Iroh said as he walked in the door.

"Typical. You always take the pathetic woman's side." Zuko growled back as he placed the sword back on the wall and turned to face his uncle.

"Listen, Zuko. I'm not taking any sides. I knew we're holding her captive here, but we have to make sure she's not too afraid." Iroh replied.

"Whatever." Zuko said as he stepped aside of his uncle and walked back out the door. After Zuko left, General Iroh sighed gently as he felt tears start filling his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Katara asked.

"He never used to be like that… **God! What the hell did Ozai do to him**?" Iroh shouted as he punched his hand into the wall leaving it with a large burn mark in the shape of a fist. He felt the tears falling from his eyes as he looked at the ground. "What happened to you, Zuko?" Iroh asked a few minutes later before he walked out of the room as Katara stared at the doorway.

Katara swallowed a lump that formed in her throat as she felt herself start to shake. She was scared. This place was different and she knew every crewmember on this ship definitely had the ability to cause her a lot of harm and she knew if she talked back like she did to Zuko, they probably wouldn't be as merciful. Hours passed but they felt like seconds to Katara as she was lost in her thoughts.

"Here you are." General Iroh said as he walked into the bedroom and handed her yet another tray of food.

"I'm not very hungry…" Katara whispered as she kept fiddling with her fingernails.

After Iroh sighed gently, he sat next to her on the bed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry for doing that in front of you earlier. I must have startled you." Iroh said as he patted her shoulder.

"No… I'm just scared…" Katara replied.

"Oh, don't worry about Prince Zuko. I know he has a very fiery temper, but I doubt he would intentionally do any kind of harm to you." Iroh said as he smiled happily.

"No… Not of him strangely enough…" Katara said, but she shook her head signalizing she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"Well, I'll leave you alone and I'll leave the food here just in case." Iroh said before he grabbed the tray from earlier and walked out of the room and shutting the door behind him. Katara sighed feeling once again in darkness as she felt the over-pour of tears start to fall from her eyes.

(To Be Continued…)


	4. Fights and Feelings

**_Right Here – Chapter 4 –Fights and Feelings – By SetoAngel01_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters, so please don't sue me!

**Hello! Wow, thank you for all the comments! Sorry about the long hietus! I promise it won't happen again! Well, here's the 4th chapter! I hope you all like and please comment!**

(On With The Story!)

Katara wiped away the tears that slowly made their way down her tan face. She let out a shaky sigh before she lay back down and shut her eyes. Aang had to come. He had to. She knew that Sokka would never leave her and she had to trust him. "Katara, would you like to come outside for a minute? It's a beautiful day and you should get some sun." Katara heard Iroh ask outside her door.

I would be nice. Perhaps she could even get out of there using her waterbending, but doubted it now. She was strong, but she was frightened and her waterbending was getting pretty shaky lately. She was just way too tense. "Alright." She replied before sitting up and throwing her legs over the bed and walking over to the door. After Katara and General Iroh were outside, she leaned on the railing of the ship.

"Beautiful day, huh?" Iroh asked her as he smiled happily.

"Yeah." Katara muttered as she laid her head on her folded arms and watched the water hitting the ship.

"Uncle, what are you doing?" Zuko asked as he walked up to the two.

"Well hello, Prince Zuko. Doing what?" Iroh asked as he looked at his teen nephew.

"Why is she out here?" Zuko snapped.

"I just thought she'd enjoy being outside for awhile. It's a beautiful day." General Iroh replied.

"That's no reason! We're holding her captive, not babysitting her!" Zuko growled.

"Well, I'm sorry… Um, Katara, I think we better go inside." Iroh said as he laid his hand on Katara's shoulder.

"No way! I have taken enough crap from you Zuko! I can do what I want!" Katara shouted as she lifted some of the water from the ocean and threatened to hit him with it.

"Not with your life at stake, you can't…" Zuko growled as fire erupted from his hands.

"Zuko! She's just a young girl! Don't do that!" Iroh said as he tried to stop his nephew.

"Listen, uncle. If she wants to stay alive for her precious little boyfriend, the Avatar, to come and save her, she has to learn to keep her trap shut!" Zuko shouted as he gave a death glare to the waterbender.

"First of all, Aang isn't my boyfriend! And second, I don't have to be quiet if I don't want to be!" Katara shouted back.

"Yeah right! All you do is talk!" Zuko growled as he started to circle her like she was his prey.

"Stop this right now, young man!" Iroh said as he tried to approach his nephew, but Zuko gave him one look and he instantly backed off.

"Now bring it on, Waterbender." Zuko hissed as he was toying with her to even try and attack him. Katara looked into Zuko's predatory eyes and wanted to instantly back down seeing that she might only have a chance if it was nighttime with the help of the moon. "What? Something wrong?" Zuko said mockingly as he noticed her stalling for time.

"No!" Katara shouted as she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. She couldn't believe that she even thought that he had a great body by the way he was moving. Zuko looked at the pathetic girl noticeably shaking in front of him. He had no idea why she would even dream of taking him while she was cooped up here and very vulnerable.

"Miss Katara, it would be a smart idea to just back down." Iroh said as he approached the brown haired girl. Katara let out a shaky sigh before lowering her hands and letting the water flop to the deck in defeat. "Thank you." Iroh said as he laid his hands on her frail shoulders.

"Stop treating her like a child, uncle. She's old enough to accept defeat." Zuko said as the fire disappeared from his hands before he started to head back inside. Katara was about to bend the water back up, but Iroh noticed shook his head as he grasped her shoulder.

"I wouldn't do that, Katara." Iroh said in a soft whisper.

"He needs to be taught a lesson! He should not push people around like that!" Katara growled as she pulled herself away from the general's grip and ran inside. Iroh just shook his head before walking back over to the rails and looking out at the water that seemed to never end.

Katara walked back into his room and walked in and threw herself on the bed. Her face went immediately into the pillow as she cried hard into the soft cloth. "Miss, are you alright?" one of the nicer crewmembers asked as they walked by the door seeing and hearing the waterbender crying.

"I'm fine." Katara replied pulling her face off the pillow so her words wouldn't be muffled.

"Okay, just making sure." The crewmember stated before leaving her alone. After crying for 10 more minutes, she pulled her face off the now soaked pillow and wiped off the access tears that weren't absorbed. She sat up and looked around the room knowing she had to find a way to escape.

Zuko walked into the room thinking she wasn't there. "Damn…" Zuko growled as he began to take off his clothes. Katara watched her eyes wide. She wanted to say something, but no words come to mind when his pants dropped to the floor. Katara's mouth dropped as she stared at the place right below his waist. After he grabbed another pair of pants and slid them on before turning to the direction where Katara was sitting.

Their eyes locked for what seemed like a lifetime. "Why the hell didn't you say something?" Zuko shouted as he tried his hardest not to think about what she saw.

"I…" Katara tried to say but no other words came out.

"Damn…" Zuko hissed again knowing he couldn't yell at her for having eyes. He walked out of the door quickly and shut it behind him and tried to clear that thought from his mind. After all, it was probably nothing she hadn't seen before.

"Hi, Prince Zuko!" General Iroh said happily as she walked quickly down the hall to meet his nephew.

"What do you want?" Zuko hissed as he turned his back to his elderly uncle.

"Nothing. Can't I talk to my favorite nephew?" General Iroh asked happily as he laid a hand on his retreating nephew's shoulder trying to make him slow down slightly.

"I'm your only nephew." Zuko replied dryly.

"Well, even if I had one-hundred nephews, you'd still be my favorite." Iroh said as a large smile appeared on his old face.

"Whatever." Zuko growled in reply before he flinched his uncle's hand off of his shoulder. Iroh's hand was about to be placed back on his nephew's shoulder, but he just pulled it back down to his side and shook his head as he watch his nephew walking farther and farther away from him.

Katara's eyes melded right into the door that she had been staring at for about five minutes. "Oh my God…" Katara whispered to herself as she forced herself to blink and shake her head. The images she had just seen were still very fresh in her mind as she felt the permanent red on her cheeks grow darker by the second.

(Katara's POV)

Oh my God… That was all I could think at this point. I had just seen Zuko naked. Naked! He's there taking off his pants while I sit there wide eyed like a total moron without saying one word! It felt like my throat turned into a desert and my eyes were frozen in the open position. But why would Zuko just walk in a room where I'm supposed to be staying and start stripping right? Well, there was the whole fiasco with the yelling and nearly having been singed by the Fire Nation Prince in our little standoff.

Well, that's beside the point. The problem now is why I couldn't get his male anatomy out of my head. Of course I saw the male anatomy before. I delivered baby boys in my tribe. I accidentally saw Sokka naked on many occasions to the point where I would wish that I was born blind. Zuko's anatomy was different though. He had a very athletic body, not like my brother who could only wish to be as muscular as the Firebending Prince.

The anatomy between Zuko's legs was something a bit larger then I could even imagine any mans could get. I felt the burning on my cheeks before I tried to remind myself who Zuko was. Firebender. Prince of the Fire Nation. Big Jerk. Total Bastard. Cold-Hearted. Damn Sexy… Damn it! Did I just think that?

(Normal POV)

Katara pulled at her dark brown hair as her forehead rested on her knees. 'Why am I thinking about him like that?!' Katara thought angrily to herself. Katara lifted her head slightly as she found her eyes scanning the Prince's dark room. Katara sighed deeply as she took her hair out of her long locks while her legs fell and dangled off the edge of the bed. For a few moments, nothing passed Katara's mind. Katara didn't really know what she was supposed to feel. Fear had left her for now and she really didn't feel like being mad for a reason that was beyond her.

That's when Zuko came on her mind but not about her maddening thoughts of his body, but on who he was. Zuko's golden eyes came to her mind. They were the color of the Fire nation royal family. 'If only things were different…' came Zuko's voice playing in her head. "What if it was different between us?" Katara said to nobody in particular as she thought about her and Zuko's circumstances between their positions of the warring nations.

This somehow saddened Katara. Who was she to judge the Prince? She didn't even know him as well as she told herself she did. Zuko was different then all of the Firebenders she had ever met. Katara would even go as far as to describe the Prince as gentle. He had a horrible temper, but she trusted him enough to know what he wouldn't intentionally hurt her for any reason. He was controllable and maybe she just misunderstood him. Katara shook her head out of her thought wondering how much time had just passed as the was sitting there thinking about him.

Katara heard footsteps by her door but didn't care if someone walked in to kill her at this point. Katara felt this sense of sadness she hadn't felt before and it was driving her insane. "Miss Katara?" Iroh's voice said outside the door. Katara half-smiled when she heard the elderly General, but it quickly disappeared in the wake of this strange feeling of depression.

"Come in." Katara said just loudly enough to penetrate the steel door. After the creaking of the handle and even louder creaking of the door, it opened to reveal Iroh standing in the doorway.

"Hello!" Iroh said cheerfully as he smiled at the confused Waterbender. Iroh immediately noticed the change in the young girl and knew Zuko must have said or done something to even worsen the time she had to spend here. "Something the matter?" he asked as he approached her sitting form.

"No." Katara replied dryly as she tried her hardest to hint that she really just wasn't in the mood to speak to anybody.

"Listen, I don't know what Zuko did in the last twenty minutes I wasn't here, but you have to understand that you can't really blame my nephew for being like that. If you know anything about the Fire Lord, you should know what a horrible man he is and just try to imagine being raised by him." Iroh tried to explain, but Katara wasn't in the mood to listen. She just wanted to go home, and trying to help her want anything else was out of the question.

After realizing a response wasn't going to come, Iroh just sighed deeply before leaving the young Waterbender alone once again. After the General left, Katara laid down on the hard bed and pulled the pillow close to her and prayed Aang and Sokka would hurry and save her from this hellhole before another day would have to pass.

(To Be Continued…)


	5. Not As Bad As It Seems

**_Right Here – Chapter 5 – Not As Bad As It Seems - By SetoAngel01_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters, so please don't sue me!

**Thank you for the comments! Hope you like the new chapter!**

(On With The Story!)

When Katara's eyes opened, she noticed the room was an unnatural darkness that scared her to death. Katara succeeded in calming herself down after a few shaky sighs. She hated the Fire Nation worse then ever now and even began to question her trusting nature. Katara's mind then went to the days that had passed. She was hungry. Hunger was a very strange thought to be coming at a moment like this, but the rumbling in her stomach couldn't easily be ignored by simple denial.

Katara's eyes tried to pierce the darkness, but still couldn't make out anything in the dark room. Katara let her head fall slightly until she felt her chin against her chest. Who was she kidding? Alone on a Fire Nation vessel with a hot-headed Prince, an elderly tea loving General, and about 50 killer Firebenders. Katara felt a shiver up her spine as she finally noticed the cold air around her. Katara shivered slightly at the nipping cold as she rubbed her arms trying to warm herself up.

After a few moments of ear-piercing silence, she realized that Zuko wasn't in the room. Katara looked around for any sign of the Prince. The feel of concern for the Prince shocked her. "Why do I care?" Katara growled in a whispered when she realized she actually was caring for the Prince even if it was just for a second. Katara put her hand over her mouth when she heard the words come from her mouth without her knowledge. Katara let out a deep sigh after a feeling of loneliness came upon her.

Unbeknownst to her, Katara hated being alone. She always had someone there. Even the time she was captured by pirates, it actually gave her a feeling of relief when Zuko was with her. For some reason, she kind of believed she could relax, somehow knowing he would protect her.

He did…

Zuko kept his promise of saving her from the pirates. Katara secretly knew that if Zuko wasn't there, she would have been raped or something. But her anger at the Prince for setting her up in the first place made her unaware of what he did for her. Katara was oblivious to her feelings when Zuko whispered in her ear and placed her mother's necklace around her neck.

Katara reached up and felt for the pendant around her neck that Aang had recovered for her just days after that confrontation, but gasped when her fingers touched the pulsating skin of the pulse on her neck rather then the polished stone. "My mother's necklace!" Katara shouted when she realized she had lost the only thing that kept her attached to her friends, her family. Her mother… Warm tears immediately made their way down her cheeks as soon as she closed her eyes when a feeling of despair came around her like a dark cloud.

Footsteps were like quick heartbeats across the cold steel of the ship as Zuko made his way down the hallway. He wasn't counting how many numerous times he had walked past the door to his bedroom. Zuko secretly hoped the peasant had forgotten the incident that had occurred just hours ago. It wasn't the girl that was holding him back from entering his room; it was just the sheer embarrassment of exposing his body to her. Zuko sighed deeply when the thought went though his mind.

Zuko's feet stopped when he was standing once again outside of his door. Zuko's hand reached for the handle, but it stopped in the middle of the air. Zuko didn't know if he wanted to allow his hand to continue the journey or retreat back to his side. Zuko's eyes closed when he placed his hand back by his side. Zuko was about to turn away from the door and was about to go find something to keep him from strangling himself with his own ponytail when he heard soft sobs coming from the other side of the door.

Zuko's grows furrowed and his eyes narrowed as he listened to her cries. Zuko had a slight pang of guilt for eavesdropping on her weeping, but couldn't turn away wondering if he was the reason for it. Zuko's eyes suddenly turned soft and his mouth went slightly agape as he continued to listen. A shallow breath left his parted lips as his eyes slid shut. 'What is this feeling?' Zuko asked himself.

Just the thought of him somehow causing this girl such pain gave him a strange sensation of regret and pain which he hadn't felt since the day he got his scar. Zuko felt his hand reaching up to the doorknob. Zuko knew something was pulling his body to enter the room. Leaving her crying like he was about to do was something Zuko would never forgive himself for. After fighting with his dormant conscious, Zuko finally allowed his hand to move up the lock and he easily pushed opened the heavy door.

The light from the hallway torches streamed into the dark room making Katara's head fly up. The light blinded her for a short time before her vision cleared to reveal the Prince in the doorway. Zuko's hair was in its usual ponytail. A black top draped over his chest and baggy pants covered his legs. Katara was looking at the Prince noticing his attire was a reason beyond anything she could explain. Her tear stained cheeks showed the obvious crying Zuko heard. For what seemed to be an eternity, Zuko and Katara's eyes locked.

Sapphire liquid melted into the flaming gold. The color of their eyes seemed to meld together as both of them waited for each other to break the silence and the tension that was rising in both of their hearts. Katara let out a deep sigh before breaking the gaze and turning her head away from the Prince that stood still in the doorway. Zuko blinked before lightly shaking his head as his mind was still fixated on the gaze even when Zuko didn't want to think about it anymore.

"What?" Katara said coarsely as her head remained turned away from him as she bit her bottom lips as she tried to fight the overrun of tears that still were threatening to fall. Her voice was harsh after all of the moisture that left her throat during her weeping. Zuko heard the tone she used to talk to him and wished he had never walked into the room. He silently cursed his stupidity and some sort of gentleness he had learned from his mother.

Nothing but silence. Zuko was lost for words, as he couldn't think of one excuse for him walking into his bedroom. That was until he remembered it was his bedroom. "I just wanted to go to bed." Zuko said in a faint whisper that quickly rose to his normal threatening voice.

"Fine." Katara said before scooting off the bed. Zuko noticed that she was giving him his bed without putting up her usual fight. Zuko's golden eyes watched as the Waterbender as she got her discarded clothes on the floor and spread them out before lying on top of them. Zuko's eyes narrowed as he continued to watch the girl with curiosity. He couldn't believe that this stubborn mule of a girl was really going to sleep on the floor. Zuko was about to smirk at this when he remembered her earlier crying as he was now glancing at her curled up and quite pathetic form lying on the cold hard steel floor.

Zuko's head fell in shame as his mind went to his mother who would be very dissatisfied if Zuko was treating someone as venerable as her like he was. Katara watched Zuko's shadow as she wondered why he hadn't moved an inch. Katara's forearm went to her eyes as she wiped away the access tears before they had a chance to fall. Katara's heart ached as she thought about her predicament without the presence of her necklace that was the only piece of her mother she had left.

Zuko continued to keep his feet nailed to that place as he wondered what to say to the Waterbender to get her off the cold floor. Apologizing was out of the question. What would he have to apologize for? He saved her life and that is the only reason she is stuck on this ship, but it was better then being dead…

Wasn't it?

"You don't have to sleep on the floor." Zuko said plainly as the words came off his tongue. Katara's eyes widened by his words as her eyes grew narrow as she thought of the possibilities or what the Prince was talking about.

"I would if that was possible." Katara growled back. He always talked mean to her, why couldn't she? Katara listened for a response from the Prince, but all she heard was a deep sigh before she seen his shadow moving closer to her curled up form. Katara's eyes widened at the thought of what might come next. The Waterbender jumped slightly when she felt the feel of a hand on her shoulder after hearing Zuko kneel down.

Katara quickly sat up and flinched away his hand. "What do you want?" Katara shouted as she glared in Zuko's eyes for a motive but couldn't see anything pass her growing hatred and fear. Zuko looked back into her sapphire orbs as he seen the growing fear in her wide eyes. Zuko still seen the remainder stain of tears that seemed to now be permanent as he continued to stay close to her. Katara's eyes were still lingering on Zuko's face as they traced every feature of the Prince's face in the fading light.

Zuko's eyed fell upon her neck as he noticed how different she looked. Her hair was tattered and the flecks of seaweed and split ends caused by the fall. Her loops of hair that usually dangled from her crown to the back of her head were now dangling sadly from her face and laying against the tip of her breast. Some of her braid had become undone and was lying in lose strands around her shoulders and along her back. Her small hands were clenched against her chest as she looked silently back at the Prince.

Katara's eyes began to trace Zuko's scar. The most damaged part was the closest to his eye which was a dark red while the rest of the it starting at the bridge of his nose and flowing back to the side of his head like a flame of fire. Katara traced the detail of the rough skin with her eyes as she notices the deep ridges of damage in the scarred skin. Katara had always wondered where he got it and how long he had had it, but was always afraid to ask since Zuko was usually touchy about anything.

Zuko and Katara didn't seem to notice how long they had been looking at each other as they continued to stare curiously at each other. Zuko realized what he was doing after a few more moments before wanting to end this tension between the two of them. Zuko truly didn't want her to be in fear of her life constantly. He knew the Avatar and her brother would be here for her soon, but he would have to wait as well and if he had sleepless nights because of her, how could he expect to be ready for the Avatar when he arrived?

Zuko knew that if the girl was comfortable and was less shrill, it would be a lot less horrible to be on the same ship with her. On these terms, Zuko had an advantage. He had captured the Avatar's companion, who he realized that the bald monk had a crush on. Zuko found this deplorable seeing how young and immature the Avatar was compared to this girl who already seemed to match the personality of an adult. Zuko knew what it was like to have to mature very quickly and he believed this girl had to do the same with the maturity he sensed she had.

Zuko realized how she was already beginning to adjust, and it had only been about two days since she's been stuck on this ship. He was underestimating how strong willed she was, and he kind of found that attractive in a woman. Zuko froze when that thought passed his mind. 'Did I really just think she was attractive?' Zuko thought to himself in horror. He never really thought about it, but with his banishment and scar, Zuko never really thought he would ever find a woman who would want him. So he naturally just found a way to live with that not being part of his life.

But as Zuko looked at the Waterbender now, he noticed how perfect she was. Even with her messed up hair and baggy clothes, the image of how she usually looked was on his mind. Zuko then thought about how unattractive he was compared to her. Zuko looked away from her questioning eyes when the thought crossed his mind. Katara wondered why he just turned away so suddenly and was silently considering asking him about so many questions that have been in the back of her mind since she met him. 'If only things were different.' Zuko's voice said in her head once again. Did he really mean it?

"Zuko?" Katara asked in a whispered tone, breaking the seemingly endless silence that had been plaguing the air around them. Zuko reluctantly looked back at her as she tried to ignore many facts that filled his mind with much doubt.

"What?" Zuko said quickly and plainly. Katara was about to ask Zuko about many questions ranging from his scar to the five words he had whispered in her ear, but no words were forming on her lips and Katara didn't think they'd form any time soon.

"Never mind." Katara replied as her head fell and they broke each other's gaze. Zuko noticed her sad expression as she tried her hardest to keep her head down. He couldn't take it anymore. He knew that his mother always told him to be kind to anyone he met. This girl that sat with her hands folded in her lap wasn't any different.

Zuko fought with the doubts in his head. He was supposed to be part of the Fire Nation. Meaning he was taught by his father to be ruthless and unforgiving to anyone who crossed his path. His mother's way of teaching was exactly opposite. Zuko was caught in the crossroads of emotions and teachings. Zuko's eyes then fell upon her bare neck and remembered her words when he had placed her necklace around her neck. Her words 'My mother's necklace!' stuck in Zuko's head.

Zuko wondered where Katara's mother was. Would any responsible mother allowed her daughter and son to travel with a bald child all around the world with no supervision? Maybe she didn't have a say. Zuko wondered if Katara had lost her mother just as he had. "Just tell me." Zuko whispered back, continuing the strange conversation as he placed his finger under her chin and lifted her eyes to look back into his.

(To Be Continued…)


	6. Seeing A Different Side

**_Right Here – Chapter 6 – Seeing A Different Side – By SetoAngel01_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or any of the characters, so please do not sue me!

**Thanks for all the comments! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

(On With The Story!)

Katara was brought out of her suppressing thoughts when she felt the felt the strain of her head being lifted from a warm object under her chin. Katara gave into the sensation until her eyes were looking right into the eyes of the Fire Nation Prince. Katara stared intensely into the depths of gold as she felt her air supply grow short in her lungs and her throat become dry. Katara felt like drowning in the pools of gold when his voice broke the seemingly infinite silence. "Just tell me…" Came the only words that poured from the Prince's tongue like liquid silk to her ears.

This voice reminded the waterbender of the soft voice that serenaded her ears just a few days ago. Looking into the Prince's eyes was terrifying and somewhat exhilarating at the same time. This Prince that was kneeling in front of her was the son of the most feared man in the world. Until now, she hadn't really thought about that. She had known Zuko for what was about a year and after awhile, he didn't seem dangerous with his insane and selfish tactics to lure Aang to restore his honor.

Katara eyebrows furrowed at this thought as she thought about Zuko and his egocentric reasons for giving Aang, the only hope for the world, to his father just to regain something as ridiculous as honor. Katara's eyes rapidly went soft once again as she found herself criticizing the Prince when honor might mean something absolutely diverse to him then it did to her. "Why aren't you saying anything?" Zuko asked after he noticed the unpredictable emotions in Katara's eyes while he swiftly removed his finger from under her warm chin.

Katara bit her bottom lip before opening her mouth vaguely when she remembered whom this man in front of her really was. He was her enemy and no amount of denying that fact would make it any different. The hatred for what the Fire Nation did to the world and even her personally brought a fresh batch of tears in her eyes. Katara was aware that Zuko's finger wasn't under her chin anymore, but for some reason, her eyes couldn't break free from his fiery gaze.

Zuko noticed the uncertainty in her eyes. He watched the downpour of emotion in the waterbender's eyes and knew her mentality had to be scattered. Zuko had no idea why he was even attempting to get through to her, but for some reason, he felt the like he couldn't shift his gaze away from her. Zuko understood the simple fact of boundaries they should have between each other, but while they sat this close to one another, something between them was about to unfold, but neither of them knew exactly what would transpire.

"I just don't know how to say it…" Katara whispered after she realized what Zuko had said to her. She speculated why it took her so long to conceive an answer, but knew that time should be taken out to answer a question in this tense situation. Zuko sighed deeply after he heard her response and finally understood that there was no use for trying to continue this conversation.

"That's fine. Well, I guess I'll go to sleep then." Zuko said before closing his eyes for a few moments before rising hastily to his feet even after kneeling for a fair amount of time. Katara watched Zuko regretfully as she watched every slow step he took toward his bed. Katara knew she should have just said what needed to be exclaimed, but for some odd reason, the words wouldn't fall from her lips. Katara was now staring at his retreating back as her teeth dug into her bottom lip as she subconsciously felt the downpour of tears descend down her cheeks.

Katara finally had to turn her eyes away from the Prince so if had turned to look at her, he wouldn't see the stain of tears that she believed would represent weakness to him. Katara breathed shallowly as she tried her hardest not to begin to whimper. She had no idea why she began to cry and even why her tears kept falling, but for some reason she didn't quite understand, regret plagued her heart. Katara looked down at her hands folded in a fetal position in her lap.

Following a soft sigh, Katara lay back down on her thin pile of attire as the frigid steel flooring which sent a chill up her spine as she curled up trying to get warm as the warm tears continued their journey down her cheeks.

Zuko glanced over his shoulder after fixing the waded and crumpled blankets that adorned his bed to see the waterbending peasant that was coiled up on the floor. Zuko saw her delicate body tremble slightly as his lips pursed while he fought with himself to do something to make her a little more relaxed after the way he had treated her earlier that day. Zuko shook his head before sitting down on the edge of the bed. Zuko turned away from her while he tried to block his mind from wandering to the thought of the girl on his floor.

Zuko plopped swiftly onto his rigid bed and forced his eyes shut after briefly staring at the dark ceiling. Zuko looked over to the open door and seen the light from the torches outside that blinded him with their strong white intensity. Zuko sighed deeply before he lifted his hand up and quickly made a fist that extinguished the torches with his skilled firebending. Katara jumped with fright when a blinding darkness quickly flooded the room. Katara closed her eyes hastily before she folded her hands next to her chest as the tears continued to proceed down her eyes.

Zuko tossed and turned on his firm mattress as he tried his hardest to fall asleep. Zuko finally gave up and opened his eyes to an unsettling darkness throughout his room. Zuko swallowed a lump in his throat; he was baffled at why he couldn't fall asleep. He knew he was tired, but for some reason, his mind wouldn't settle down. Zuko's eyes fell upon the shape of the waterbender that continued to tremble on the floor just feet away from him. Zuko's eyes drifted shut for an instant before they fluttered open to see the waterbender shiver slightly before she began to turn over on her other side.

Once the waterbender was facing him, he couldn't make anything of her with the exception of the outline of her slim structure. Zuko's eyes tried to pierce the black cloud of darkness that was surrounding him, but his eyes weren't adjusting as well given that it was the middle of the night where the darkness was overwhelming. Zuko swiftly made a small spark of fire in his palm that quickly lit the room. Katara didn't flinch at the flash of illumination that erupted from the Prince's slender hand. Katara's figure suddenly became detailed to the Prince where he was looking at her dull outline just seconds before.

Zuko listened to the waterbender's her soft breathing and knew immediately that she was asleep. Zuko watched her petite body rise and fall with each breath that entered and exited her body. Katara was still trembling, but not as much as she had initially. Zuko just realized that he was in a seating position but ignored the fact when his eyes trailed from his lap to the blanket at his side. Zuko's head then turned over to the torch that was placed on his own wall and tossed the fire in his hand to the rigid piece of wood holstered on his wall.

The wood immediately accepted the flame and it began burning the wood that gave off a gentle light in the callous darkness. Zuko's eyes finally rested on the waterbender. Zuko cringed slightly when he observed the residue of tears still lingering on her cheeks. 'Why is she still crying?' Zuko asked himself as his hands curled into tight fists. As he silently wondered to himself, Katara let out a deep breath as she tried her hardest not to begin shivering again with the chill from the frigid air running down her spine but she failed.

Zuko promptly noticed this before making up his mind and standing to his feet. Katara sensed the vibration of his feet hitting the floor and heard the creak of him standing up on the cold steel floor. Katara now wished she hadn't turned over because if she opened her eyes now, he'd know she was awake. Katara gripped her hands into fists as she tried her hardest to not show she was awake when she heard the soft creaks of the floor with every step Zuko took toward her. Katara was about to open her eyes to see what he was going to do, but stopped when she felt a wave of warmth pour over her.

Zuko unfolded the blanket he got from his bed before he threw it over the shivering waterbender. Katara instantly felt as if relief and reassurance fell over her like a tide striking the sandy shore. Katara's eyes subconsciously fluttered open and when Katara's vision cleared, she seen the Fire Nation Prince walking away from her and back toward his bed. Katara watched him for one more second before blinking slowly and turned her vision to the blanket he just threw over her. Katara reached up her hand that resided underneath her head and allowed her fingers to stroke the soft silkiness of it.

After her fingers made contact with the blanket, a small smile made it's way onto her beautiful face for the first time in days. Katara's hand was positioned back under her head while her eyes watched the shadows dancing across the walls with every flicker the fire that was present on the wall in front of her made. A sense of peace came over the young waterbender and the spirit of exhaustion washed over her before her eyes fell shut in a restful sleep as a gentle sigh left her parted lips. Zuko had watched the waterbending peasant's reaction to something as medial as a blanket.

Zuko had no clue why he was surveying her as she currently slept. He had no idea if this dealt with the fact that she might escape, but he assumed he was giving her way too much credit. Zuko reassured himself that she wasn't as demented and as prepared to risk everything to flee as any other captive of the Fire Nation was. She was a fourteen-year-old girl who was frightened to death of the Fire Nation. The only motive she would have to try to escape was if she really did have a death wish. Zuko's eyes strayed away from the sight of her for only an instant before he caught himself watching her again.

"What's wrong with me?" Zuko whispered softly to himself as he brought his hand to rest over his face. After lightly shaking his head back and forth, he lay back down on the uncomfortably stiff mattress. After a long forced sigh, the Prince permitted his golden eyes to close and fell asleep soon afterward. The sea smoothly rocked the boat over the gathering waves that grew stronger with the storm that was rapidly beginning to arise. The dark clouds gathered in the black sky as a soft rattle of thunder made its way across the currently calm sea.

Not much time past before one of the captains of the ship came crashing through the Prince's door. "Prince Zuko!" the captain shouted at the top of his lungs while he stood in the doorway as water trickled from his drenched clothes. Zuko's eyes flew open from his restless sleep before he faced the captain.

"What is it?" Zuko asked in a slightly irritated voice as he sat up on his bed.

"The storm is out of control! The waves are too powerful and keep pouring water on the deck! We're going to sink!" The captain replied as he tried his hardest to hide the terror in his trembling voice and light green eyes. His dark brown hair fell loosely around his middle-aged face as he bolstered himself on the doorway to keep from falling with the way this ship rocked back and forth.

"I'll be right there." Zuko said before he waved his hand at the captain, dismissing him. The captain swiftly nodded his head respectfully at the Prince before he turned away and ran back toward the deck. Zuko stood up and walked toward his discarded armor and quickly began placing it on when Katara's eyes opened to uncontrolled and nauseating rocking of the vessel.

"Huh?" was the only word that left Katara's lips but it was enough for Zuko to acknowledge that she was awake. Zuko's head spun toward her direction and watched her stand to her knees and hold the blanket firmly in her grasp to her chest in fear. "What's going on?" the waterbender's shaky and questioning voice asked the Prince.

"Just some trouble going up on the deck." Zuko replied plainly as he slipped his boots on before bending down to tightly knot the straps to keep his feet stable and planted even with the amount of water that was on deck.

"Maybe I can help." The young girl offered as she gazed at the Prince for his answer to the offer.

"No way! Are you crazy?" Zuko growled back at the peasant. "Just stay here." Zuko demanded as he walked over to the girl and absentmindedly placed his hand on her shoulder before he began to walk toward the steel doorway.

"No! This feels like no average storm! You could be killed!" Katara's trembling voice shouted to the back of Zuko's head. Katara's eyes began to swell up as the development of tears began to take shape in the bottom rims of her azure eyes. Katara's eyebrows furrowed together as she tried her hardest to keep herself from falling apart.

"What do you care?" Zuko asked as he gazed over his shoulder at the peasant who was now standing up. Katara didn't answer. The tears that began to form now began rolling down her cheeks in a steady stream. Zuko shook his head at her tears and was always taught that was a weakness and he knew now, she was too. With that thought, Zuko walked through the door and ran to the outside deck as Katara gripped her fists at her sides with her tears still streaming silently down her face.

(To Be Continued…)


	7. Eye Of The Storm

**_Right Here – Chapter 7 – Eye Of The Storm – By SetoAngel01_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters, so please do not sue me!

**Thanks for all the reviews! Hope you enjoy this chapter! **

(On With The Story!)

Katara felt her body began to tremble as her eyes continued to stare at the same doorway that Zuko just walked through. She had no idea why she allowed her tears to fall in front of the Prince, but what had just transpired in front of her was more then she could endure. The tears that continued to trickle down her cheeks were being shed for the sole purpose of the moment. Katara really didn't under the complexities of her actions and if she really was afraid for Zuko's life. She remembered how the Prince looked at her, and the shame in his eyes made her feel like the weakest child.

How could a simple gaze and common emotion in his eyes make her feel so worthless? Katara didn't know if it was his royalty or the fact she was a peasant, or if she really respected his opinion to the point it affected her physically. She didn't know, but knowing Zuko thought her to be weak just because of her compassion for his life angered her. Katara let out a deep breath before she bit her bottom lip and headed toward the doorway that the Prince just walked out of.

Katara sensed the water underneath her feet. Touching her natural element gave her a sense of power knowing that she could control this powerful element. Katara took another deep breath feeling the water ripple on the soles of her feet as she concentrated the reserved energy in her body as she tried to control the rising of disobedience from the liquid. She had no idea why she was considering helping the man who had made her life a living hell since the day she met him, but making him eat his words would be worth it.

Zuko stood on the deck as he tried his hardest to keep his entire body in balance with the violent rocking of the ship. "Sir! We can't dissipate the water quickly enough! There's too much rain!" one of Zuko's crew shouted at the frustrated Prince. Zuko looked straight into the eye of the storm knowing that this fully well could be the end of everyone on this ship. Zuko tightened his fists at the very thought but for some reason, it wasn't his own life he was worried about losing.

His crew, who left their families to serve the Fire Nation, were the ones that were forced into the situation of serving him. They were the ones that have been away from their families for two years to serve their nation, and to never see their families again because they were stuck on a godforsaken ship in the middle of a deadly storm because of him was too much for the Prince to put his mind around. "I'm not going to let that happen." Zuko growled before red and orange fire appeared around his tightly clenched fist. The eruption of fire poured from his hands as he began to start disintegrating the overflow of water from the deck.

Just moments passed since Zuko walked on deck when another tidal wave smashed into the ship making all of the occupants lose their balance and fall toward the right side of the ship. Some of the crewmembers crashed into the ship's railing that caused some major injuries. Zuko quickly stood to his feet before he noticed some of his injured crew bleeding, but they willingly stood back up again. Zuko seen their loyalty and knew he had mistreated them all these years and when he witnessed situations like this, he realized how much they were willing to sacrifice for the wealth and safety of their nation.

"All the injured men! Go inside!" Zuko ordered to the few men who had just slammed into the railing. Some of them were holding what seemed to be broken arms and large gashes, but they cleverly hid their pain from the Prince.

"But sir!" one of the youngest members tried to negotiate. His black hair was drenched from the waves of the ocean and the rain that fell from the dark sky. His light brown eyes tried to plead with the Prince to allow them to continue to fight the strong storm as a small stream of blood began to leak from a large gaping would on his forehead. Zuko knew this man had to only be a few years older then him. His young complexion but small scars all over his arms knew he was fresh out of the training camps and ordered to accompany him on the mission to hunt the Avatar.

The age limits of soldiers were becoming younger every year. The youngest soldiers were the ones that were most likely to lose their lives because of their limited experience on the enemy lines. This boy wasn't much different then them. He had his entire life in front of him and with one incorrect move, it could be taken away. So many families had been destroyed. He knew this feeling with the way his cousin Lu Ten was taken away from his uncle. He'd never forget the look on his uncle's face when he walked through the front door just days after his son died. The look of total despair and grief was written all over his face. It was a miracle the general ever learned to smile again.

"Now!" Zuko ordered once again as he tried to fight the images that began to surface in his head.

The young man with the others stood still for a while with no answer forming on their lips. They wanted to continue to fight, but they knew it was useless to go up against the orders of the Prince. The men bowed separately before they headed inside just moments later.

"Zuko, are you sure that was the best decision to make?" Iroh asked as he walked over to his uncle after he rose to his feet.

"They're injured. How much help could they offer at this point?" Zuko replied as he continued to firebend as much as the water as possible. It was short lived when another wave crashed on the ship followed by a large flash of lightning that came within inches of the ship. Zuko fell back down on the deck when the wave picked his body up like a rag doll and threw him against the wall that incased the control room.

"Zuko!" The general shouted before another wave crashed against the ship making Iroh lose his footing and fell to his knees. The general looked up to see his nephew unmoving with a fatally sized abrasion to his nephew's cranium. Iroh was on all fours as he was staring at his lifeless nephew leaning against a wall as the crimson blood began to stream out of the large wound. The general notice the loose plank of metal that was protruding from the wall and layered in fresh blood as he felt the tears began to seep out of his eyes.

Iroh couldn't feel his body. Staring at this nephew became too much to bear. So many things were running through his mind at this point. The most anxious thought that crossed his mind was the fact that Zuko could be dead. "No…" Iroh whispered as he quickly stood to his feet and began to run toward his nephew. "Z-Z-uko!" he shouted in a faltering voice as he began to run to the fallen Prince.

The crew noticed what had occurred but what could they do? There was a deadly storm that wasn't going to let up and now the Prince they had been traveling with for nearly three years could be dead. Some of the more elderly crew turned away from the sight and ahead to their task and continued to dissipate the crashing waves that persisted to beat at the ship as the younger ones worked on the water that was already on the boat.

Iroh hadn't gotten farther then five feet closer to his nephew when a shadow of a thirty-foot wave ascended the ship. The crew looked up at the monumental wave. Their entire lives were flashing before their eyes as they watched the imminent death that was about to befall them. Each of the crew sighed deeply anticipating the frigid water about to impact the ship before they each whispered a prayer and knew no one would survive this. Iroh looked at the large wave that was about to transpire upon them. He reached his nephew and picked him up in his arms thinking the young man to already be dead.

"I'll see you in a little bit, my nephew… If you see my son before me; tell him his dad loves him…" Iroh whispered in his nephew's ear as the boy lay limply in his uncle's loving arms with his head in the dip of his shoulder. Iroh felt the sting of tears in his eyes as he looked at his nephew's scarred face. Iroh listened to the crew as they shouted their prayers to the heavens and knew he should be saying some of his own, but right at this moment all he could truly think about was the teenager in his arms.

"I've always loved you. Your father was a fool to not realize what an amazing son he was blessed with. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here. You may think that you've needed my in your time of banishment, but it was you who pulled me through every day after my son died." Iroh said gently as the tears fall from his eyes in a gentle stream before he hugged his nephew close to him. He laid his head with his nephew's shoulder with his eyes tightly closed expecting to be in the next life in the next moments.

Katara was now on the deck staring at the large wave that was about to swallow up the ship and everyone on it. With both of her arms raised to the heavens, the tremendous wave began to obey the movements of her hands. Katara felt the perspiration of sweat forming on her forehead. Nothing around her mattered at this point. The power of this wave was beginning to show signs of aggression and it's massive weight and volume would split the ship in half and drag it to the bottom of the ocean floor. Katara was still in the first stages of her waterbending, but she had the right motivation. She could imagine the look on Zuko's face when he heard that a girl he thought was weak not too long ago saved him.

Katara's eyebrows furrowed when the curiosity to where the Prince was won her over. Katara wanted her eyes to travel to her left and right to look for him to see the look on his face now but she feared if she lost her concentration, she wouldn't be getting dominion over this wave again. 'Come on… Focus…" Katara told herself as she glared angry at the wave that seemed to be spewing water at her on purpose. Katara closed her eyes as she felt the power of the wave at the control of her fingertips and movements of her wrist. Katara's eyes suddenly flew open before she shoved her arms forward and the wave obeyed. It fell the opposite way and crashed back into the ocean.

Iroh watched the young girl control the wave with such a master's touch. He felt his throat grow dry at her performance and professionalism with waterbending. Iroh was about to vocally praise her job when he felt the weight in his arms. He felt the familiar feel of tears that continued to fall out of his eyes. The general was expecting the worse, but he was afraid to find out the real truth of his nephew's condition. The crew readily praised the waterbender as Katara felt the blood rush to her cheeks.

"That as amazing, miss!" the crew said as they ran up to her. They noticed the receding clouds and knew the storm was about to pass. After a few seconds, the rocking of the ship start to cease and the sun gently peek over the horizon. With a deep sigh, a few of the crew thanked her as the rest began to slowly walk toward the general. Katara smiled at a few of the men before she began to look around for the Prince to see what he had to say. After a few moments, Katara didn't see the Prince and thought it seemed odd when most of the crew were gathering about ten feet away from her.

When Katara peered past a few of the men, Katara saw the figure of the elderly Iroh holding someone in his arms. Katara's eyes narrowed at the sight and gasped harshly when she realized it was the Prince she had been looking for. Her hand went absentmindedly to her mouth when she seen the Prince. Katara tried to fight the blurriness from the overrunning of unshed tears in her eyes as she pushed her way through the crown until she found herself gazing down at the general holding the lifeless Prince in his arms.

Katara felt her chest heaving. The strange sensation of a knot forming in her stomach and a sharp pain in her heart came to her when she watched the hopeless sight before her start to unfold. She saw the injury on the Prince's head and the limpness of his body. "No…" were the only words that left her shaking lips. Katara fell to her knees as she tried to survey the extent of the damage. She noticed the fresh blood that was dripping down the Prince's pale skin and over some blood that had already dried.

Iroh saw the concern in her eyes but knew in his heart that it was too late. He was too afraid to check for his nephew's heartbeat or pulse to know for sure. "Zuko, wake up…" he heard the girl whisper softly to his unresponsive nephew. "Come on." She persisted as she reached over to touch his shoulder and shook it gently when her hand contacted it. "Wake up!" Katara said a bit louder as she felt the tears began to leak over her bottom eyelids and start to fall on the Prince's body.

Katara looked at Zuko's face. She didn't know why she was crying. She didn't even know if he was dead or not. She remembered the fact that he had saved her life and she knew that this was the time to return the favor, but the overrunning of her emotions prevented her body from moving. She was afraid. She didn't want Zuko to die. That was the last thing she would ever want. It was too soon. He was a jerk and uncaring to any of her feelings, but the feelings he evoked from her just hours ago were still fresh in her mind. She knew he had a heart and wasn't willing to let him go yet.

Katara hastily bent some water that was still present on deck and weaved it through some of the crowd as she made a glove of water and her hand and firmly pressed the glowing water against the Prince's head. As soon as the water hit his body, Katara waited for some kind of heartbeat she typically felt from the patient when she was healing, but none came. He was dead. "No…" Katara said as the tears persisted to built then fall from her azure eyes. "I'm not letting you die!" Katara said as she concentrated the healing water as she pressed her eyes tightly shut.

Katara felt all of her remaining energy spill from her boy and into the small amount of water she was using. "Come on. Please…" Katara whispered as she opened her eyes and watched as her tears now falling on his face and joining the glove of water. Katara breathed heavily as the energy continued to leave her body. She kept telling herself to keep trying no matter what. Zuko had made too much of an impact on her life. As bad as the impact seemed, they did have a few strange moments over the years. She remembered the waterbending scroll incident and remembered the feeling of him whispering in her ear as she felt a smile form on her face as the tears continued to fall.

Katara watched the abrasion become smaller as the thoughts of better times fill her head. Katara's other hand was gently cupping the other side of his face, just for steadying reasons, but her hand began to run softly along the scarred side of his face. Iroh noticed her tenderness as she was healing her nephew. A smile formed on his face with new hope. Maybe there was hope in all of this. If a waterbender could be so caring of a firebender, maybe this war didn't have to persist. Maybe there was a solution to all of the violence. Iroh noticed the cut get smaller until it disappeared.

Katara continued to breath heavily as the magically healing water formed into new skin. Katara sighed deeply when she moved her hand down to his chest and smiled happily as she bit her bottom lip when she felt the strong heartbeat on the left side of his chest. Zuko let out a deep breath as the crew watched in silent wonder at the amazement that seemed to be limitless in the girl that they didn't know the name of. Zuko's golden eyes opened to the smiling face of the waterbender who had just repaid the favor by saving his life. The tears of happiness still descended down her face as she smiled at the Prince that was now lying in her arms.

(To Be Continued…)


	8. Repaying The Favor

**_Right Here – Chapter 8 – Repaying The Favor - By SetoAngel01_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters, so please do not sue me!

**Thanks for all the reviews! I hope you enjoy the next chapter!**

(On With The Story!)

Zuko's vision was blurry at first, but he still made out the figure of the waterbender. Once his vision cleared slightly, he saw the detailed features of her. She had tears still streaming down her face. Her hair was slightly tattered from her sweating and the intense waterbending and healing she had just completed. Zuko felt her hands contacting his body on his head and chest. He felt drained of all his energy and his last memory of consciousness was feeling a large piece of metal piercing his head. Zuko closed his eyes and cringed softly at the recollection of the pain he had just endured. He knew the only reason he wasn't pushing himself out of her arms was because his body was completely numb and he was having trouble breathing.

Katara breathed softly in relief when she felt Zuko's chest rising and falling with every breath he took. She wanted to conceal the information that he was really dead to his uncle, but that wasn't the most important thing to worry about in these moments. Katara knew that it would have been impossible to bring him back if she had waited any longer. Katara still felt the tears dripping from her cheeks, but it didn't really bother her if he thought she was weak now. She was just overjoyed that he was still with her. Katara let out a deep sigh when she came to terms with the fact and what would happen if he had died.

Katara recalled her emotions when she realized that he was during the healing process and the familiar pain spread through her chest like fire much like before. Even considering that fact made her pull Zuko just a little closer to her. Zuko's eyes remained close as he tried to allow the dull pain that was the result of his lack of energy. He still felt the waterbender's arms pull him closer to her. Zuko had no idea why she had been crying? Had he died? He didn't remember what occurred, but waking up in her arms was something he would never expect.

"Thank you so much, Miss Katara..." came the general's soft voice. The tears still seeped from Iroh's eyes, but these ones were of happiness. The general knew that his nephew would have died if Katara didn't intervene. They'd all be dead if she didn't. This girl that had been basically stranded with deadly firebenders and scared for her own life stepped in with no motive at all and saved all of their lives was more then anyone could ever ask for. This was not just a simple coincidence that she was with them. Iroh felt this was much more.

"You're welcome…" Katara replied after looking up at the general. After saying those two words, she looked back down at the Prince and noticed his breathing was slower and he had fallen asleep. "I'm just glad he's alright." Katara continued in a plain voice as she tried her hardest to not show any more emotions then she already had to the elderly general.

"We owe you our lives." Iroh said as she reached over and grasped her shoulder.

"Your nephew already repaid the favor when he saved me." Katara replied as her hand made small circular motions on Zuko's chest that held his heart right underneath. Iroh looked shocked for a second that she would say that out loud, but smiled back nonetheless. "You should put him inside. He needs to sleep." Katara continued as she motioned for Iroh to take him out of her arms.

"Oh! Right away." Iroh said when he took his nephew into his arms and tried to stand up, but the weight in his arms was too much for the elderly man to take and he fell back to his knees once again.

"We'll do it!" all the crewmembers said simultaneously as they stood up straight and saluted the general. Katara giggled at the men before she shakily stood up but became dizzy and fell back down on deck before blacking out with the lack of energy from everything that had just transpired.

"Miss Katara!" The general shouted as he seen the waterbender fall hard onto the deck with a loud thud. Iroh immediately ordered the men that looked most capable for the task to pick them up, he told them to place then in his nephew's quarters.

After two of the younger man had picked up the two teenagers, they headed to Zuko's room. When the two men got there, the blankets that were on the floor had been soaked with the rain and ocean water from the former storm and shouldn't be used as proper bedding. The one bed in the room was also another problem.

"What should we do?" the crewmember named Sheng that was holding Katara asked.

"I guess we should just put them on the same bed." The other crewmember named Deshi that was holding Zuko replied.

"Works for me." Sheng said before he shrugged his shoulders and placed Katara gently on the bed.

"Okay." Deshi responded before he placed Zuko right next to her before the two left the room and shutting the door behind them.

Nearly twelve hours later, Zuko woke up the noise of the all too familiar 'music night' that was going on outside that usually started around dusk, which gave Zuko a good idea of what time it was. Zuko fought the rising headache that usually felt like it would split his head in half. He felt a pair of arms around him as something warm was curled up in front of him. His eyes slowly opened to see the blurry figure of a woman that was facing him and her face was cuddled up under his chin as her arms were loosely wrapped around his torso. The sight became clearer as Zuko's eyes became wider when he finally recognized the figure to be the waterbender.

Zuko quickly pulled from her grasp until he fell of the edge of the bed and slammed on the floor. Zuko felt the sting of the hard ground on his body but was able to quickly sit up and rub his aching head. "What happened?" Zuko groaned quietly to himself as he tried to forget that he was sleeping in the same bed as the girl. Images from the storm and the penetration of his skull and then waking up to the girl that was crying as she held him flooded through his mind before he opened his eyes. Zuko shook his head at the thoughts before he stood shakily to his feet.

Zuko looked down at the waterbender whom he had no idea why she was crying just hours ago. Zuko tried to stop thinking about it, but the more he stood in this spot the deeper his thoughts went into it. "Zuko, you awake?" came the voice of the general from the other side of the door.

"I'm not going to join music night, uncle." Zuko said routinely to his uncle just outside the steel door.

"No. It's not that." Iroh said as he opened the door and walked in.

"Did you permit them to lay me by her or did she do that by herself to piss me off?" Zuko asked quite angrily as soon as the old man stepped through the door.

"What?" the general asked in surprise as he stared at his nephew strangely. Iroh's mind was trying to ignore the fact that if it wasn't for Katara, he might have been burying his nephew at this very moment. Tears began to form in his eyes at that thought.

"Something wrong, uncle?" Zuko asked as he noticed his uncle fighting back tears in his eyes.

Iroh didn't answer. He just ran up to his nephew and threw his arms around his waist. "I could have lost you…" the general whispered into Zuko's chest.

"What?" Zuko asked.

"Nephew, this girl saved our lives. You have to thank her when she wakes up." Iroh stated sternly to his confused nephew.

"What does that have to do with the fact that you said you could've lost me? What does that mean?" Zuko asked after he pushed his uncle away from him.

"Zuko. That metal plank protruding from the wall impaled you when that wave swept across the deck. She healed you." Iroh explained before pulling his nephew close to him once again.

"She did what?" Zuko asked angrily as he pushed his uncle off him again.

"Don't be mad at her! She saved all of our lives and deserves our thanks and respect!" Iroh defended.

Zuko had no reply. He felt himself breathing hard before he looked down at the dark floor.

"All I'm asking nephew is that you're more kind to her during her stay. I know that you're just using her as a pawn to lure the Avatar to you, but after what she did for us, the least you could do is show her some respect if you don't prefer to give her back to her brother and the Avatar, nephew." Iroh clarified.

"Fine. I'll give her more respect if that makes you happy." Zuko replied. "But for my information, why is she in my bed?" Zuko asked.

Iroh could do nothing but smile. Ever since this girl showed up, Iroh had been seeing more of the nephew he knew before all this banishment and Avatar business began. This waterbender had changed all their lives since she fell from the sky that totally seemed logical to Iroh at this point.

"Well?" Zuko persisted.

"I don't think it's that bad, my nephew. She's quite a catch." Iroh replied with a large smile on his face.

"**What**?" Zuko asked with a horrified look on his face.

"I'm just kidding. If you wish, I could have one of the crew work on getting you an extra bed in here so no one has to sleep on the floor." Iroh replied with the same smile. Iroh wasn't really kidding. He was thinking what an amazement it would be if these two teens in front of him really could be something. That would prove so much about how love powers over this war and the persistent fighting between the nations. He knew his nephew might not see that. Maybe not even Miss Katara would, but it was wishful thinking that was quite fun to think about.

"That'll be great…" Zuko sighed before he walked over to the chair near the headboard of the bed and sat down.

"Alright. Rest well, my nephew. Well, unless you would like to play the songi horn for us!" Iroh offered with a kidding voice for the last sentence in his statement.

"No." Zuko said with a serious tone before his uncle left the room. After his uncle had left, the Prince lowered himself in the chair as he laid his head against the back portion of the chair. Zuko looked up at the dark ceiling before his eyes feel to the sight of the young woman lying in his bed. He remembered the feeling of her arms placed tenderly around him as they slept. Zuko tried to recall everything his uncle asked of him. Respect was something Zuko felt you had to earn, and he didn't have any proof except his uncle's tears and recollection of her saving his life that could possibly deserving of it.

As for the thanking portion of that deal was something Zuko doubted he was going to do. After all, he didn't promise he would thank her. Thanking someone for any kind of action was something Zuko was not familiar with. His uncle was strict with good manners, but over the years, Zuko felt that manners weren't as important as his uncle stressed they were. They seemed to just be a distraction away from what was truly desired to the point you had to owe someone something. A deep sigh left the Prince's throat as his eyes strayed away from the sight of the waterbender.

(Zuko's POV)

This day had been strange. The only recollection I have of anything occurring before the storm struck was the entire incident of me giving the whining girl a blanket. Her treating that blanket as if she had defeated a Fire Nation battalion single-handedly was even stranger behavior then the compassion I had just shown. Her tears before I went to go on deck were something that was kind of awkward to see as well. Tears had always been a form of weakness in our nation and her crying over something as simple as telling her to stay in this room was nothing to cry over.

The storm itself was something I'd like to forget. The white seething pain of the metal piercing through my skin and then my skull was something I'd like to forget but I doubt I will. That was the last thing I remembered until the point where I woke up to her, once again, crying. But this time, I didn't see it as a weakness. She looked genuinely worried and joyful at the same time about something. If those tears were shedded for me, I still don't understand why, but dealing with women and their faltering emotions is one thing I wouldn't mind dealing without for the rest of my life.

If she really was crying for me because I died or whatever, I guess she did care. Especially if what my uncle said about her saving my life was true. I felt another sigh leave my mouth as these thoughts were weighing more on me. If all of this was true, I could imagine what this girl wanted in return…

(To Be Continued…)


	9. It's Never Too Late

Right Here – Chapter 9 – It's Never Too Late - By SetoAngel01 

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters, so please do not sue me!

**Thanks for all the reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

(On With The Story!)

Zuko finally fell asleep about twenty minutes of staring at the ceiling. The sounds of the dreaded 'music night' were enough to make Zuko want to go to sleep instead of listening, but a part of him didn't want to fall asleep for a number of reasons. He was still thinking about many of the events that had transpired from the fact that he heard the waterbender saved them to the fact that he could have died and might have without his knowing.

Katara's azure eyes fluttered open just moments after the Prince had fallen asleep. Her eyes were initially blurry to her surroundings and she had felt a certain warmness leave her just thirty minutes ago and she had been drifting in and out of sleep since. She had been half-heartedly listening to Zuko's discussion with his uncle, but any major details had already been forgotten.

Once the waterbender's vision cleared, she found herself in a pitch-black room besides the residual moonlight cascading in the room and along the figure of the Prince. Katara immediately flinched away from the Prince as she tried to figure out if he was awake, but after a few moments of his gentle breathing and relaxed body, she was proved otherwise. Katara let out a soft sigh of relief before she slowly sat up to allow her legs to dangle over the side of the bed.

The first thing that Katara noticed was how a spot that she hadn't even been sleeping in was still warm and the imprint of a person was still in it. Katara's cheeks began to burn a dark red at the thought but she just excused it from her memory and tried to focus on other things. The girl felt her stomach began to rudely growl as Katara's hand made her way to her hungry stomach. She let out a groan as the pangs of hunger eat away at her empty stomach.

'I should at least find something to eat.' Katara thought to herself as she turned her eyes to the firebender that was sleeping on the chair before she began her journey to the door. Katara stood up and cringed when she felt the metal planks began to creak under her feet and turned a quick eye to the Prince to make sure he was still asleep. When she took notice that he was, she tiptoed her way to the door trying to prevent the cold metal under her feet to cease its noisemaking.

Dream

Zuko kept listening to the general's and lieutenant's ideas of destroying a newly recruited battalion to be placed at the front line of a powerful Earth Kingdom army, where they would certainly have been destroyed as the other fleet of Fire Nation attacked from the rear. Zuko felt his legs beg him to stand up as his conscious beat him softly in the back of his head to do the right thing.

He did.

The next thing Zuko saw was the image of his father walking toward him when he was expecting the general whom he insulted. "You shall learn respect and suffering shall be your teacher." Said his father's malicious voice ringing through the Prince's ears as the young Prince lay kneeling at his father's feet begging for mercy.

"Father!" Zuko begged in a shouted plea of mercy before he felt the scorching pain of the fire run across his bare flesh of his sensitive left eye until it produced the sizzling tissue that was to the point of dripping off his face in the intense heat. The next thing that Zuko saw was the same scar was now a permanent and deformed part on the Prince's once flawless face until he seen nothing but darkness and could hear nothing but his father's angered voice.

"Zuko!" came a soft female voice that sounded quite erratic that quickly broke and overpowered the deafening sound of his father. It seemed similar yet it was something that occurred following all that already happened. "Zuko! Wake up!" It came again. The voice that had woke him up after he accident that nearly and momentarily took his life. The same voice of the healer that had saved him even after everything he had done to her.

Katara.

End Dream

Zuko's eyes flew open. The cold sweat was gently running down his shaking body. The waterbender's tear stained face was the first thing that Zuko saw when he opened his eyes. Her ragged breathing was a sign of her aggravation when Zuko didn't respond to her calls. He had stopped breathing and whatever she did to help him start again, he just wouldn't. Zuko felt his own chest heaving when he looked down from the sight of her to see her hand firmly clenching his.

Katara was kneeling next to the Prince. One of her hands was tightly gripping his as her other hand was in a tight fist that was leaning against her chest. She didn't know when she started crying. The thought of whatever happened on deck had been haunting her and she was terrified that it was going to happen again. This moment brought back the memory of when she first realized she was on his ship. He had been sweating and tossing uncontrollably in his sleep. She knew it was a bad dream, but since the incident, it had become petrifying just to watch.

"Damn…" Zuko whispered softly before pulling his hand away from her grip. Katara flinched at his action, but was just satisfied to see him awake even if he was the same Zuko she had come to know.

"What happened?" Katara asked softly as her eyes filled with concern toward the Fire Nation Prince.

Zuko still wasn't looking at her. The reason he heard her in his dream was totally coincidental and he tried to ignore that she could had just saved him again. That was the first time his dream had escalated that far to the point he could actually feel the singe of fire on his skin to the point he relived the day he got his scar and the pain until he seen nothing but darkness and his father's voice.

"Nothing happened!" Zuko growled angrily before he stood up and headed to the door.

"Zuko!" Katara shouted after him after standing to her feet. Katara didn't expect him to stop, but he did.

"What?" Zuko asked stiffly when he stopped at the door. So many nights he had had this dream, but this was the first time he had it since she had been on the ship except for the first day, but since then, it had seemed to stop to the point he didn't dream at all. Zuko had no idea if he was now questioning his own mortality with the occurrence on deck or if the reoccurring dreams were just the result of fear of death before he completed his mission.

"You had a similar incident the first day I was here. I didn't wake you up that time and I regret, because I should have. After everything that has happened, I want you to know that even thought we may not see eye to eye in everything, but as long as I'm stuck here, I think we should at least try to get along. We may be enemies and all, but – well…" Katara tried to say, but no words would come of the actual thing she wanted to say.

"But, what?" Zuko asked when he turned to her.

"Listen, I'm scared of this war and you must be too. Being stuck at sea for however long must be horrific and I know that everything happens for a reason, so maybe you saved me for a reason, and… Wait, no!" Katara said before she realized what had come out of her mouth and placing her hand firmly over her mouth.

"**What**? **Who told you I saved you**?" Zuko shouted angrily as he fully turned toward the waterbender with fire beginning to pour from his hands.

"No one! I didn't mean to say that!" Katara tried to defend as Zuko held up the fire threateningly as Katara fell back on deck.

"**Tell me**!" Zuko growled as he held the fire above his head and ready to engulf the young girl. Katara's eyes began to fill with crystalline tears as she felt the dry heat of the fire just inches away from her delicate skin as she tried her hardest to back away from the prince when the chair fell over from contact with her back.

"I-I onl-ly said that b-because I-I-I saved for a reason too! I'm sorry! I-I'm so sorry…" Katara whimpered as she held her legs folded up to her body waiting for the fire to burn her skin. The fire immediately dissipated from the prince's hands before he fell to his knees. The way Katara looked must have been something that was much like what his father saw before burning him. The fact that he had almost done something his father had done to him made the Prince place his hands in his face.

Zuko felt tears began to form in his eyes. It had been years since he last shed a tear and the familiar pain on is face that he might have just caused her began to etch over his skin with the bad memory of the Agni Kai. Katara opened her eyes to see Zuko kneeling on the floor. His legs folded beneath him as he appeared in a bowing position with his face buried in his hands. She saw the firebender physically shake as she listened to his unstable breathing. Katara's eyes softened to the sight of him as she began to crawl toward him.

Zuko desperately fought the tears that began to overwhelm the Prince's senses. He forced the tears to stay within his eyes. He had no idea what had brought him to the point to injure someone. Zuko knew that he could have easily killed the waterbender just because she knew of him rescuing her. The cold-heart of his father was beginning to show inside of him and Zuko had always refused to turn out as cruel as his dictating father. The reality that he nearly killed the girl that had just saved his life devastated the Prince to the point his legs gave out and tears rushed to his eyes.

The Fire Lord didn't stop from scarring his own son for life, and for a second, Zuko almost did the same thing and it was too much for him to bear. The image of Katara kneeling defenseless on the ground with fire emitting from his hands that would obey his every whim to the point of killing destroyed the Prince. Once Katara reached the kneeling Prince, she knelt down to the point she could wrap her arms around his torso. Katara felt her tears still dripping from her cheeks as she embraced the trembling firebender.

"I-It's okay… I somehow knew you wouldn't do it." Katara whispered in his ear as she placed her head in the slope of his shoulder. Zuko listened to her gentle words and was somewhat taken back by her unrelenting forgiveness even when he could have easily killed her just moments before.

"Why are you doing this?" Zuko choked out in a dry tone; finally being able to control the building moisture in his eyes to the point it dissipated. He didn't push her away. He wanted to listen to what she had to say in her defense. No one could possibly so forgiving to the point that you are hugging and trying to comfort the person who could have murdered you just moments before.

"I care about you." Katara answered bluntly as she looked at the wall in front of her as her arms were still around the Prince and her chin propped up on his shoulder.

"That doesn't matter!" Zuko said with spite in his voice after pulling away from her caring grip and sitting up with his knees folded under him.

"Yes it does, Zuko!" Katara growled as she felt the tears began to build in her eyes again.

"Why are you like that?" Zuko asked as his hands gripped into fists.

"Like what?" Katara asked sternly as she felt more tears slip down her cheeks.

"Forgiving! No one I ever met in my life can forgive someone who nearly murdered them so quickly!" Zuko retorted.

"I can! Listen, I've lost so many people in my life that anger or resentment between two people shouldn't be elongated to the point it is too late for either of them to make up. I've learned very quickly that when you're with a person, no matter whom they are, something as stupid as anger shouldn't stand in the way and most of the time, people forgot the reason they were upset in the first place. But I learned that lesson a little too late. That's why it's always good to apologize and forgive." Katara explained as her eyes stared deeply into Zuko's.

"It's already too late for me…" Zuko said as he folded his hands in his lap. "I've become too hardened by my father's tactics to ever be like you! So, I apologize if I can't be as forgiving as you." The Prince continued before he turned away from her eyes.

Zuko began to rise to his feet when he felt Katara's hands gently overlapping his. Zuko's eyes quickly turned back to her until the point their eyes were locked. "It's never too late for anybody…" Katara whispered before she pulled closer and wrapped her arms around him as another tear made it's way down her face before finally dripping onto the cold steel floor as the moon became brighter in the night sky.

(To Be Continued…)


	10. Hunger

**_Right Here - Chapter 10 – Hunger - By SetoAngel01_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters, so please do not sue me!

**Thanks for all the reviews! I hope you enjoy the next chapter. **

(On With The Story!)

Zuko felt her arms around him as he fought the desire to push her away from him. The answers she gave for her behavior still confused the Prince, but the more he thought about it, what she said was somewhat right. Most of the anger and spite between two people could last for years until the point both forgot what started the argument and in this war, where hundreds and even thousands die daily, it was typically too late to apologize.

'It's never too late…' were the words that were still lingering in the Prince's mind. Zuko knew that since he had been banished, his father's tactics of deceit and hunger for power made Zuko cruel to the point he was so desperate to capture the Avatar that he didn't care who would be destroyed in the process. Zuko had self-control and usually found a way to stop a bloody situation before it happened, but nearly killing the waterbender just moments before was a line he hadn't crossed and was a situation where he allowed his anger and resentment to get the best of him.

Katara's warm body was against his and her arms were wrapped around his neck while her head leaning against his neck was a feeling he never imagined would come from her. They were enemies. Still were, but at this moment, it didn't seem that way. She expressed that she cared about him but Zuko was still having conflicting thoughts about her and if she was telling the truth. If she was being serious about these allegations of caring for him, wouldn't it be clearer?

Katara sighed gently before her reddened eyes slipped opened. Her right hand was resting on his back after she adjusted her arms to wrap around his torso and she began to feel the continuing pulsating pound of his heartbeat against her delicate fingertips and palm. Katara remembered the feeling of his stopped heart before she held Zuko a little tighter. He could have died. Well, in fact, he did die momentarily and if she attempted to heal him just seconds later, the healing wouldn't have worked and he would have stayed that way.

Feeling Zuko against her now made her rearrange her priorities. The reality of him lying dead in her arms was too much for the girl to take. She had lost many people in the course of her life. Her grandfather when she was just a three-year old child, babies being still-born during the birthing process, her mother when the Fire Nation attacked their shores -- Her mother…

That cold morning when the Fire Nation attacked still played out like a production in her head was something Katara would never forget. The captain of that ship was firebending and stabbing her mother to death because she didn't give them the location of her children was a sight Katara couldn't forget. Katara and Sokka stood behind a snow fort Sokka built behind a large pile of firewood while they watched in horror as their mother was murdered right before their young eyes.

Sokka held his sister as tears ran down his cheeks as he tried to control Katara's sobbing and screaming after they had to turn away from the gory sight. Just moments later, the Fire Nation ship left the small community covered in bloodstained snow and dead bodies. Katara vividly remembered walking up to her mother and pulled her to lie in her lap with strength she didn't know she even possessed. After she cried her mother's name a few times, her mother opened her eyes and smiled at her children.

Sokka stood still as he tried to be strong in front of his mother and sister. A few minutes later, their mother was dead and Katara held the necklace in her hand after her mother handed it to her. Katara gripped the necklace tightly with tears streaming silently and quickly down her swollen eyes. Her dry screams echoed across the camp and when her grandmother heard them, she ran out of the nearby tent in tears to embrace the young waterbender as Sokka watched in silence as his sister fell apart.

Katara let out a shaky sigh making Zuko's hair sway gently in the direction of her breath. Her dried tears were still apparent on her face as the memories swept through her mind. The remembrance of her mother lying dead in her arms was something that Katara had hoped she would never have to relive again. Katara realized it had though. The feeling of the Prince's limp body lying in her shaky arms as the blood from his head wound stained the floor beneath her.

The thought of losing someone had plagued her to the point she had a hard time letting anyone important to her leave her sight. The overwhelming thoughts of losing Zuko made more tears form then finally slip down her cheeks. She didn't know why she was crying for this man. His harsh words and critical judgments of her and her tribe made him someone whom she should hate despite her caring nature. That's if chasing them halfway around the world and threatening to capture Aang and destroying the one chance of peace wasn't enough of a reason to despise him.

The weighing thought of losing this man that she was still holding close made the familiar pain of losing her mother come back. Why would she feel the same pain for the man who swore she hated compared to the woman who gave her birth and loved her to the end? Was it because her love for everyone or was it because she viewed the Prince as something more then she told herself he was worth? She didn't know, and at this second, she didn't want to think about it anymore.

After what seemed like only seconds to Katara, Zuko gently moved away and looked away from her questioning eyes. No words were exchanged between the two and the waterbender was fine with that. She told Zuko she cared and that's all that mattered to her. Zuko's eyes were directed toward the floor. He didn't know if he was waiting for an explanation or if he already understood the answer. Her kindness toward him was one of the many things that were strange to him.

The fact that she hugged him was still there and Zuko still didn't understand if she embraced him for the spur of the moment or otherwise. She hugged him. There was no denying that, but any motive behind her actions was something he didn't quite comprehend, but asking her was unnecessary and if there was an answer, Zuko thought it would be best if it was left unstated.

"You hungry?" Zuko asked desperately hoping the subject matter would change from the tense and confusing moment to something uncomplicated like food.

Katara gazed at the Prince in confusion. Hungry? The subject of him dying and the frightening reflection of her mother's death were still weighing on her mind but it was quickly broken with the thought of food that Zuko suggested. The change of topic was very unexpected, but she was glad about it. The tears in her eyes were still lingering, so she hoped taking her mind off of all of this would make them disappear.

"Yeah." Katara replied. It had been a while since she last ate and the food that Iroh gave her the morning after she woke up on the ship had just been picked at. The taste of it was good, but the suppressing thought of being stuck on a Fire Nation vessel with one of her greatest enemies for an unspecific and perhaps elongated time was too much for her to think about to the point food became a distraction.

"Then let's go find something." Zuko stated before quickly rising to his feet and walking over to the door. Once he was at the door, he looked back at the waterbender who was still kneeling on the floor. Katara stood up a few seconds afterward and strode over to him. Zuko opened the door and allowed her to exit first before he closed the door after they were out of the room.

Katara followed silently behind the Prince as she tried her hardest to keep quiet about her thoughts and questions of what occurred. The dark hallway was lit with torches that were found about every twenty feet along the blackened steel walls. Katara looked up to the back of the Prince's head as she wondered if he was just as confused as she was. The spur of the moment and the crushing thought of him dead in her arms was the supposed reason she hugged him, but she still didn't understand why he didn't push her away.

Katara thought it might have been something she said or the actuality that she saved his life. She didn't know and reading the Prince's mind about it was an impossible undertaking. Asking him about it was something to consider, but his anger was something Katara feared. She was fearful to cross that line, and if that meant she'd never know what his thoughts were, she'd have to live with that.

"Here we are." Zuko said as he stopped at a door and opened the door to reveal a pitch-black room. A flame quickly flickered in his hand before he cascaded it along an unlit wooden torch to bring light into the room. Katara looked around the small room that held one small table that you had to kneel at with a small tea set placed upon the dark wood that was painted with dark red to make a flame inscribed border around the edges. The golden color was also apparent along the outskirts of the siding.

Zuko didn't stop in the small dining area. He walked around the table to another doorway on the adjoining wall and walked through it. Katara quickly followed the Prince into the supposed kitchen. Zuko sighed deeply when he walked into the kitchen seeing nothing that was already prepared but quickly realized his uncle readily finished anything that was leftover from dinner.

Katara noticed the polished black marble covering most of the large food preparing space. The countertops were embellished with specks of gold in the black stone and the cooking utensils and a few knives were still laid out along the counters. Fresh fruit and vegetables were laid in baskets along a few wooden tables and small metal compartments were marked with black ink that read names of spices and herbs that it must have contained. Glass containers near the spices held rice and other grains Katara didn't recognize as glass bottles next to them held oils.

Zuko walked over toward a wooden chest where the cook kept most of the fish and poultry. Once he opened the compartment that was layered in ice, he pulled out a small package that was plainly marked 'fish'. With the so many variations and species of fish, the chef never marked anything specifically and as long as it wasn't poisonous, no one really cared. "You want fish?" Zuko asked plainly after closing the lid to the cold confinement. Zuko considered calling the chef, but if he knew he cared about the girl enough to make him cook this late, rumors would start to spread.

"Uh. Sure." Katara asked turning back to the Prince with a puzzled gaze. Katara wondered if Zuko was about to call one of his crewmembers to cook, but when she watched the Prince beginning to unwrap the fish that was confined in white paper and finding a pan to cook it in, it was apparent he planned to cook.

"What?" Zuko asked with a small hint of anger in his voice when he felt the waterbender's eyes boring a hole through him.

"Nothing. It's just -- I didn't know men knew how to cook." Katara said with a slight smile.

"The chef on my ship is a male." Zuko replied plainly as he furrowed his brows at her comment.

"Oh. Well, I mean… Oh, never mind." Katara said before she shook her head and tried to avoid further eye contact with the Prince.

"What? You think a man can't cook? Are you sexist or something?" Zuko asked as he crossed his arms.

"No. It's just that's how it always was in my tribe. The guys hunted, the women cooked, the men trained, the women had babies, and so on." Katara explained.

"So, you're just saying all a man is good for is hunting and training?" Zuko asked sternly.

"No! I, I didn't mean that! All I'm saying, well, trying to say is that seeing a man cook is a bit strange." Katara stuttered.

"Fine. Then you cook." Zuko said before tossing her the wok he picked out. Katara clumsily caught it before she shot Zuko a shocked look.

"What did I say?" Katara asked as she held the heavy pan firmly in her hands.

"You said women are more likely to cook, so go right ahead. Let's see a true master make dinner." Zuko said before sitting at one of the wooden tables. Katara was standing at the same spot as her eyes still stared at Zuko with a strange look upon her face. "Oh, don't mind me. Just… cook. I mean, if women are so good at it. I'm just here to observe." Zuko continued in a slight mocking voice.

"I didn't mean I wanted to cook!" Katara said in her defense.

"Nah, you're right. Guys are only good at hunting and training. Only women belong over a hot stove, so go right ahead." Zuko said before he leaned back in his chair and continued to watch her.

Katara sighed knowing there was no way to talk herself out of this one, so she decided she better start to prove herself before Zuko made more of a mockery about her gender. With that, she walked over to the supposed cooking area and seen wood, but no striking rocks to make a spark and cook the food. Zuko quickly took notice to her distraction and smirked at her stupidity. What Fire Nation ship needed rocks to make a spark when every single man on this ship was a firebender? The funniest part to him was that she didn't even remember that fact.

"We're all firebenders, remember?" Zuko said in an attempt to embarrass her more. Katara heard those mocking words and felt the red begin to form on her cheeks.

"Damn…" Katara muttered under her breath before she placed her hand on one of the counters to keep her balance. She knew that without the Prince's help, a fire would be impossible since the wood used to contain the fire was not the wood that could catch fire even with friction. It could only be ignited with a fire source.

The second the word fire went through her head, she smirked before she quickly ran out of the room and grabbed the torch in the dining room. Once she made it back in the kitchen and the wood was lit, Katara placed the torch in the metal slot in the dining room before heading back into the kitchen and started to cook now that she had a fire to cook on.

Zuko watched the waterbender as she grabbed the torch and quickly lit the wood with barely any hesitation. She was smarter then he gave her credit. Zuko gazed at her while she reached over for the wok he tossed at her and placed it on the fire. Zuko silently watched her as she continued to cook with few mistakes and wondered if having her here was such as bad as he may have made it out to be.

(To Be Continued…)


	11. Dwindling Hope

**_Right Here – Chapter 11 – Dwindling Hope – By SetoAngel01_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters, so please do not sue me!

**Thanks for all the reviews! The last part of the last chapter was something I wasn't planning to add, but one of my reviewers suggested I make this story have serious and funny moments, so I decided to include a nice mixture of both. Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Happy Easter, everybody!**

(On With The Story!)

The midnight sun known as the moon was dangling from the black sky as the only light to provide the world with a glimmer of shining hope in the vast darkness known as night. The bright stars were scattered across the darkness making traces of pictures and patterns that had stories made up of folk legends and myths. The reflection of the planets and stars were apparent on the blue ocean as the last few hours of the night continued to pass.

Aang and Sokka hovered over the same location that Katara had fallen from. Sokka couldn't keep track of the many hours and even the few days that had passed since that dreadful night. He had blamed himself a dozen times over for letting her fall even if he knew there was nothing that could be done at that point in time. No matter how many times they circled the small portion of water in a seemingly endless sea, they found no trace of the waterbender.

Aang felt a few tears still lingering in his eyes as he looked at the endless pools of blue below. So many things he had wanted to express had been left unsaid. He loved her -- He knew he did. He didn't deny his feelings for the girl, but telling them to her face was something he hadn't been able to do for the sheer fear she might not feel the same. Nevertheless, that didn't make him any less about her and made his daily life a bit more interesting.

There was something about her that made a shiver go up his spine whenever she cast a glance his way. The way she smiled and laughed at his lame jokes. The way her body was curved so perfectly and the way her hair glistened in the sun. So many nights they had spent together looking at the stars and shared the enjoyment of traveling and meeting new people together. Aang felt as if he had known her his entire life and right now would have given everything up to have the reassurance that she was safe or even alive, but at this moment, that didn't even seem likely.

It had been days in their search. They hadn't eat, wouldn't sleep. Sokka vowed to the heavens he would give up numerous things, differing from sarcasm to meat, if they found her. Prayer was something Aang was fond of, but at this moment, even that seemed like a distraction to the task of finding his secret crush. Aang tried to understand the fact that was hanging over his head. Katara might not be coming back. With this sudden thought, the tears fell from his grayish eyes.

Sokka momentarily glanced up at the dark night sky as he caught glimpse of the stars Katara used to love so much. Many a night, she would point out constellations of stars Gran Gran had showed her as a child as he struggled to stay awake at the comforting and clear night sky. A single tear made it's way down his tanned cheeks as the fond thoughts of his sister flooded his head and the weighing thought of her being gone was something he didn't think he could cope with.

"Aang?" Sokka asked after a deep regretful sigh left his dry throat.

"Yeah, Sokka?" the Avatar replied as he gazed sadly over at the Water Tribe warrior.

"What if we don't find her?" Sokka asked in a solemn voice while his eyes remained planted to the water below them.

Aang didn't answer. The thought passed his mind many times, but whenever it surfaced, the more a sharp pain erupted in his heart. Losing Katara was something the Avatar wasn't ready to experience and never had even been considered. Her vivacious personality and sweet demeanor was something that was hard to get used to living without. The fact that he loved her hurt even more if she was really gone.

'Why didn't I tell her?' Aang thought as he felt more the tears start to trickle down his face. The warm tears gliding down put everything into perspective for him. He had lost his entire family of Air Nomads and the thought of losing someone else was too much for the young child to bear.

Sokka immediately noticed Aang's tears and apparently knew the feeling the young Avatar had possessed for his sister. It was more then just the friendship he had with her, he always senses the Avatar felt deeper for her then that. The thought of someone liking his sister like that angered him and his brotherly duties to protect her, but when he seen Aang's tears, it brought him more sadness then anger. His sister had always wanted to be married one day and have a ton of kids and Sokka knew one day he would have to let her go and couldn't protect her forever.

Katara had been so excited the day she went to the fortuneteller and heard some statement from her that Sokka still thought ludicrous. "She was a liar." Sokka mumbled about the woman who had promised Katara her dreams would come true and she would die in her sleep at a very old age. Where was the fortuneteller now? Taking predictions from the stars and telling more lies to people who actually believed her? Where was she when his little sister had most likely died in her own element?

Sokka angrily punched the bottom of the saddle as he felt the tears begin running down his face before he fell with his face in his arms. "Katara…" Sokka muttered as he felt his body begin to shake from the overrunning of emotions erupting from his body. Sokka felt the firm saddle under his body as his hands were gripped so hard; his knuckles began to turn white. "Katara!" Sokka screamed against the endless night sky as his voice echoed in distress over the ocean begging for a reply from his sister, but he didn't get one.

Aang heard the warrior's screams and felt absolutely worthless as the Avatar. He had vowed the stop the violence and war between the nations, and he had just let his best friend slip right between his fingers just because of his lack of control in a storm. He didn't know if Katara was alive, but the blame and ridicule for himself was destroying him. Aang allowed his eyes to once again rise to the night sky.

The bright moon penetrated the vast darkness as the stars were hung across a strong in the sky. Aang felt a sense of calmness wash over him as his eyes remained locked on the evening sky. The dwindling hope of recovering his crush was slim, but he wouldn't lose hope until he had proof. Aang pursed his lips as his eyes continued to stare at the sky as tears continued to drip down his upturned face.

Meanwhile

Katara walked over to the Fire Nation Prince before she placed a plate of food she had just prepared in front of him. According to her, the fish was a bit tricky to cook since they never were really ever lucky enough to capture one, so she was a bit inexperienced with it. Katara was expecting Zuko to have a negative reaction, but instead, he gave her a slight nod of approval before he began to slowly eat.

Katara was a bit shocked by is behavior, but wasn't complaining about it. Katara smiled softly before she sat down across from him before she began to eat as well. Katara piled a piece of fish and vegetables on the chopsticks before putting it to her lips and cringed at the taste of it. Zuko noticed this too, but he couldn't really blame her. He couldn't cook well if his life depended on it, so he had to give her credit where she earned it especially in a kitchen such as this where only his chef could know exactly what was in the bottles Katara used for oiling the pan.

After swallowing, Katara made a quick glance toward the Prince his taste buds accepted the food better then hers did. "How is it?" Katara asked nervously as she smiled warily at the Prince.

"It's fine." Zuko replied before taking another bite.

Katara gazed at him strangely, but was at least glad he could stomach it. By her judgment, the fish was overcooked, the vegetables were undercooked, and the oil she put in it was rather repulsive. After a short period of staring at the Prince, she noticed he wasn't enjoying it, but continued to eat anyway. Katara laid down her eating instruments as she began to focus her eyes on the table instead of lingering over to the Prince where they wanted to be.

After Zuko choked down another bite of overcooked fish, he placed the chopsticks back on the table before he looked up at the waterbender. Her eyes were fixated on the table in front of her. Zuko noticed she was struggling to keep her eyes planted on the table, but just ignored it. "You done?" Katara asked before she looked up at the Prince.

"Yeah." He plainly stated before Katara stood up and gathered the plates and headed over to the water basin located on the other side of the large kitchen. As Katara began to wash the plates, Zuko said nothing. He was wondering to himself why he had gone from hardened Prince to puddle of goop within days. He was always hardened and cruel since the day of his banishment and he blamed his father for it. Then out of nowhere, Katara came along, and he began to act a bit different.

Zuko had no idea if it was just because she was a female and it was just his male teenage hormones that were way out of whack. Zuko shook his head as he tried to dismiss those thoughts from his hormone-clouded brain. "Damn…" Zuko grumbled under his breath as he ran his hand over his face.

"You okay?" Katara asked as she walked back to the table and noticed the Prince's sudden and strange behavior.

"Fine." Zuko replied before he quickly stood up and began to head for his quarters. Katara placed the towel she dried her hands off with on the table before she followed Zuko back to his room. Katara had a lot on her mind, but the main thought in her head was the sudden kind behavior Zuko was showing toward her and thought that maybe that this might be the kind behavior his uncle spoke about. Katara's head fell to the floor as these thoughts passed her mind.

'If only things were different...' were the words that still lingered in her mind the first day she was stuck here. What if it was different between them and what if this was the reason she was on this ship? To get to know him? Was that the choice that fate made for her? Was it to get to know the Fire Nation Prince? Was it something more?

'I sense a great romance for you. I can see that he's a very powerful bender…' Aunt Wu's voice said in Katara's head. Katara's eyes then rose to the back of the Prince's head as they continued down the hallway. She recalled the words and Zuko actually fit the description exactly. The romance was something she found in the way he rescued her and Zuko was a very powerful bender.

The unspecific description could have matched to a lot of people, but something else about Zuko made her more prone to match her description of the man she was going to marry to him. Katara blushed softly at the thought and wondered if she really already falling for this man she was following behind in a dark hall.

Meanwhile

Sokka sighed against the cold night air as his breath turned white against the invisible air. "I promise I won't give up, Katara! I'm your brother and I've always promised to protect you, and this situation isn't any different!" Sokka shouted against the night sky as he felt the tears in his eyes still lingering on the bottom rims.

Aang looked over at the young man as he bolstered himself on the saddle of the large bison as his eyes held a determined look greater then anything Aang had ever seen. With Sokka showing so much determination, he realized who he was. He was the Avatar, and the other Avatars before him never gave up even in situations as dire as this. He knew he couldn't give up and he wouldn't until they had Katara back.

"We promise, Katara!" Aang shouted a few seconds after the words left Sokka's mouth.

Sokka looked over at the young Avatar as they both exchanged agreeable glances as they now were going to strive to bring her home.

(To Be Continued…)


	12. Growing Tension

**_Right Here – Chapter 12 – Growing Tension - By SetoAngel01_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters, so please do not sue me!

**Thanks you for all the reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter. By the way, I kind of regret making the part of the story with Zuko and Katara less intense between their conversations and scenes, so from now, on, those cute little encounters in the kitchen and Katara having thoughts about her falling in love are gone and I am going to make their encounters more intense and dramatic because Zuko and even Katara began to act a bit to out of character. So, in a nutshell, those scenes won't be a part of this story unless it is absolutely necessary. Hope it doesn't disappoint some of my readers.**

(On With The Story!)

The silence was deafening. The torturous sound of silence was something that bothered the Prince the most. Lying on the floor of his bedroom was very uncomfortable but making the waterbender sleep away from him was well worth it according to him. The floor was dry to the touch but the residual frigidness of the floor still was very chilling to the touch. A flicker of the flame made it's way from his palm and onto the floor to try and conduct heat to make his sleeping arrangements more easing to the touch.

"You asleep?" Katara asked as she picked up her head from the pillow as she looked down at the slight glow coming from the floor.

"No." Zuko replied plainly as he rolled his eyes hoping she would already be asleep.

"Oh… Well, good night." Katara said swiftly before she turned over and closed her eyes against the soft pillow. Katara's legs shifted as she cursed the firmness of the bed. A soft sigh left her throat as the fond memories of her soft sleeping bed, the welcoming dark sky spattered with stars, and the warmness of the campfire were still apparent in her mind. She missed a few things since she'd been on this ship, but she reassured herself that it could indeed be much worse.

Katara laughed softly as a scenario of Zuko torturing her in a dark dungeon seemed so ludicrous to her. Zuko did have a temper, but as far as ever being willing to kill or torture anyone was presumptuous of his seemingly rather gentle demeanor. Katara had never witnessed a situation in which Zuko had ever hurt anybody physically, and highly doubted that he ever had.

Zuko felt a deep sigh emit from his lips as he forced his eyes to close. The itchy blanket was proving to be worse to sleep with then the cold air surrounding him. After his eyes flew open, he swiftly tossed the blanket off of him where it folded when it hit the floor. Zuko sighed in relief when he felt the cold air and the pressure of the blanket leave his body. 'How the hell did she ever find that damn blanket comfortable?' Zuko thought as he rolled over on his back to look at the shadows dancing across the ceiling.

Zuko hated having the torches on during the night, but he thought Katara would become erratic and weepy if he extinguished them. A nauseating pain in his stomach suddenly consumed him as he cursed himself for even daring to eat the fish the woman lying on his bed cooked. The chef could have put poison in those bottles for all he knew, but what use would that be now? And since when did he start complaining about a little cramp in his stomach anyway?

After a few minutes, Zuko had fallen asleep as Katara found herself looking out the small window and at the stars that spilled across the sky. Another sigh found its way out her throat as the familiar constellations became apparent to her. "Please hurry…" Katara whispered to her traveling companions softly before she closed her eyes and fell asleep just moments later.

The brightness of the sun poured into the room and it found itself lighting everything in its path as the darkness was swallowed by the powerful sunlight. Zuko groaned softly against the ground when he felt the heat of the sun on his pale skin. "Damn…" Zuko growled before he opened his eyes and sat up. Zuko ran his tongue over his dry lips as he rubbed his palm over his face in an attempt to wake himself up. He stretched his arms above his head as he arched his back before he let his arms fall back by his side.

"Zuko, you awake?" his elderly uncle asked on the other side of the door.

"Yeah…" Zuko grumbled angrily.

"Well, you should be happy to know that music night was a very big success!" his uncle chimed happily.

"Whatever." Zuko growled before he looked over to Katara's bed to see it was empty. His eyes widened slightly at her empty bed and wondered if it was her plan to make him go into a false sense of security so she could escape without his knowing.

"**Damn**!" Zuko cursed angrily before he flew up and slammed the door open nearly hitting the elderly man on the other side by accident.

"Goodness, Zuko! You shouldn't be cussing!" Iroh scolded as he waved his finger at his nephew.

"**Where the fucking hell is that bitch**?" Zuko growled at his uncle as the old man's eyes grew wide at his nephew's vulgar language.

"I thought I taught you better than that! A dignified prince should have no use for obscene language such as that!" Iroh continued to scold completely ignoring his nephew's questions.

"I can cuss all I want! Where is she?" Zuko barked in a slightly lower octave.

"She's getting some breakfast. She has to eat too, you know. We can't deprive her from food! That's torturous!" Iroh explained before Zuko quickly began to sprint toward the kitchen. "Oh, that nephew of mine…" Iroh sighed dejectedly as he watched his erratic nephew get so worked up over what usually turned out to be nothing.

"Wow. These pastries are amazing, Mr. Shen!" Katara exclaimed happily as she smiled at the chef while holding a warm small pastry in her hand that was dripping with honey and sugar.

"You're too sweet, Ms. Katara." The chef replied as his cheeks turned a bright red. His brown hair fell over his face as a large smile appeared at the girl's compliments. "I'm just glad that someone can enjoy my cooking." Shen continued as he wiped his hands on a towel before he headed back into the kitchen. Katara smiled gently after him before turning to the large amount of food in front of her.

Zuko harshly threw the door open to reveal a shocked Katara looking at him with a pastry hanging from her mouth. "There you are!" Zuko growled before he walked over to her.

Katara swallowed the bit she took before she could even conceive a reply to his statement. "Well, I didn't want to wake you up." Katara explained as she tried her hardest to sound caring, but Zuko's tactics were really growing on her nerves.

"Didn't I tell you that you were supposed to stay by me at all times? Just because I was acting a bit different last night, that doesn't mean you can walk off whenever you want without me knowing about it!" Zuko said as he crossed his arms firmly across his chest.

"Well, excuse me! I didn't know that you had transformed back into a cold-hearted beast overnight!" Katara growled angrily before she turned back to the table and crossed her arms mockingly.

"Dammit! Why do you women have to be fucking know-it-alls?" Zuko growled.

"I'm not trying to be a know-it-all, Zuko! Why do you men have to be right and in complete control all the time?" Katara shouted at the Prince as she waved a finger at him.

"Maybe because we're always right and you women do nothing but screw everything up! No wonder men are the dominant gender. " Zuko replied.

"Oh really? All men do is walk around thinking you're the god's gift to the world, when in all reality, you're just stubborn and stuck-up!" Katara barked.

"I'd rather be stubborn and vain then be worthless!" Zuko growled.

"You! You! Uh! -- You know what?" Katara said angrily when she stood to her feet in a confrontational stance.

"What?" Zuko replied looking down at her lower form.

"If we're so worthless, then why did you need me to save your life?" Katara asked after she placed her hands firmly on her hips.

"I didn't ask for your help! As far as I'm concerned, I didn't need it!" Zuko retorted.

"Oh please! You were dead when I healing you!" Katara shouted as tears began to leak from her eyes, but for her sake, she kept them at bay.

"Why the fuck would you care anyway?" Zuko replied.

" I don't! I wasn't thinking about you, I was thinking about your uncle losing his family remember because I suppose he's the only one who could ever love a spoiled brat like you!" Katara lied through her gritted teeth as it got harder to keep her tears in her eyes.

"You saving my life had nothing to do with my uncle, peasant! You told me yourself!" Zuko growled.

"I was lying, and you're right, I don't care! In fact, **I should have just let you die**!" Katara shouted angrily before she walked around him and exited the dining room.

"Fuck it." Zuko growled before he exited the dining room before heading to the deck of the ship. The cook stood at the door of the kitchen as he stared wide-eyed at the conversation that was just exchanged between the stranded waterbender and hotheaded Prince.

"Damn her…" Zuko growled softly before a wave of flames left his mouth. After the searing heat left his lips, a trail of smoke left within one of the Prince's next breaths.

"Zuko, what's going on?" Iroh asked as she walked on deck to see his uncle leaning against the railing. His arms were shaking as he held the railing tightly. The remainder of flames and smoke were still apparent by the Prince as the general shook his head.

"Nothing, uncle." Zuko lied in a soft mumble.

"So, all that yelling between you and Miss Katara was nothing?" Iroh asked quizzically as he leaned against the same railing.

Zuko didn't reply right away. Zuko's eyes just slid shut. He silently cursed himself knowing that he should have known better then to lie to the uncle. "She knew the rules and she disobeyed them." Zuko replied.

"Zuko, listen. I think you should be a little more lenient with the rules. I mean, she saved your life." Iroh explained.

"I saved her as well, so we're even, uncle!" Zuko growled.

"Nephew…" Iroh tried to continue.

**"No**! We should be treating her like a captive and not a guest going for a leisurely cruise!" Zuko shouted.

"But Zuko…"

"**I already said no, and that's final**!" Zuko growled before he went back inside the ship as Iroh looked after his nephew before a deep sigh left the general's throat.

(To Be Continued…)


	13. Why Fight It?

**_Right Here - Chapter 13 – Why Fight It? - By SetoAngel01_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters associated, so please do not sue me!

**Thanks for all the reviews! I hope you enjoy the next chapter!**

(On With The Story!)

"He's such a damn jerk! Why the hell did I let myself to fall for the little act he put on yesterday? Just because he let me hug him doesn't mean he still isn't the jerk he always has been!" Katara shouted as she sat on the bed clutching a pillow to her chest as she stared at the floor. Katara's eyes traced the floor as she tried to calm the rising heat of anger rising in her. After a few moments, she began to recollect the feelings he evoked from her just last night and felt her cheeks began to burn a bright red.

"**God! How could I be so stupid?**" Katara growled angrily after those thoughts came into her head. She quickly smothered her face into the pillow as she tried to push those thoughts from her clouded mind.

She was confused. She had so many emotions for the Prince, and some of her feelings that she felt were along the lines of romantic, but at this moment, it disgusted her. How could he be so sweet one moment and then be so cold and callous the next. Katara was angered that she actually fell for it, but for some reason, she felt as if something Iroh had said was still lingering in her mind.

It was about Zuko's father and how Iroh had shouted in anger of how his father had changed him. Katara couldn't swallow the fact Zuko ever was different then the hotheaded Prince she knew. Katara took a deep breath as she removed the pillow from her tear-stained face. Katara's vision focused on her surroundings as she recalled her own words from last night – "It's never too late for anybody…" were her own words to the Prince after he explained that he could never be as forgiving as she had just been to him.

Katara realized after a few moments that she was doing it again. She was letting anger get in the way. Katara understood that Zuko had to be one of the biggest jerks she ever had the displeasure of meeting, but somewhere in the back part of her head, she knew fate might have something else planned. Fate. It always had ways of messing with her, but Katara realized if she just let it happen, everything usually turns out perfectly fine, if not better. After the point in her life when she met Aang, and even Zuko, she'd learned to roll with the punches, so what was the big difference now?

Aang and Sokka would come to get her soon, so she really shouldn't mind the short break from getting some well-deserved rest from setting up camp continuously. An evil smirk passed across her face as she thought about a few things she could do to makes Zuko's life a living hell like he had made hers. The smirk quickly faded when she realized she was beginning to think like a firebender. "Oh my god…" Katara grumbled as she placed her face back into the pillow. 'That hotheaded Prince's tactics are starting to rub off on me…' Katara thought gloomily when she heard the heavy metal door open.

In the blink of an eye, Katara quickly bent the water from the small cup that was still on the dinner tray Iroh brought for her and whipped it quickly to the person that was at the door. A quick flame erupted and dissipated the water whip before another flame flew right back at her. The waterbender's loud shrill echoes loudly through the small room as she felt the fire get close enough to burn a small portion of her clothes before she could feel the blazing heat no longer.

Katara's eyes opened to visualize the Prince standing at the door with the same angered look on his face Katara got used to seeing. "What the hell was that for?" Zuko asked angrily as he quickly snapped his fingers to light the torches in the room.

"You scared me!" Katara shouted when she realized who it was.

Zuko just sighed agitatedly as he shook his head before walking toward one of the torches that couldn't light because it was mostly ashes. "Damn…" Zuko whispered as he took the small amount of blackened wood from the metal holder on the wall and tossing it to the side before swiftly bending down to look through a small amount of wood that was arranged neatly in a pile on the floor.

Katara felt her cheeks redden when she realized the tight pants Zuko was wearing and him bending down left nothing to the imagination. After a few seconds, Zuko pulled back up with a new piece of wood for the torch and Katara swiftly turned away before he noticed she was staring. Her eyes slowly adverted back to the Prince as she watched him grab the same broad swords and use them to trim the piece of wood that was apparently too big to fit into the holster.

Zuko growled softly at the piece of wood, which was taking an awfully long amount of time to shape. "Damn…" Zuko growled softly when he accidentally pushed the blade too hard and the friction made the knife slip until the point when it slid into the Prince's palm. The crimson blood quickly began to flow from the fresh wound as the piece of wood and the blade that was now stained with his royal blood, fell from his hand onto the steel floor within milliseconds of each other.

Zuko instinctively covered the wound with his uninjured hand as he gritted his teeth together as he silently fought the pain that now erupted. Katara gazed on questionably as she seen the Prince tense up. She heard the profanity slip from his lips but thought it was just from him fighting with the small inanimate object. But after a few moments of silence and Zuko still as tense as ever, Katara began to worry.

"Are you okay?" Katara asked as she approached the Prince, completely forgetting about her searing anger toward him.

"I'm fine!" Zuko growled as Katara continued to approach. After few more steps, Katara heard a gently dripping sound and looked down to see the red liquid start to puddle on the floor.

"Oh my god!" Katara shouted as she filled in the distance between them and quickly adverted her vision to the space between Zuko and the wall. "**What did you do**?" Katara growled when she seen Zuko trying to hide the blood from leaking between his two palms.

"**Nothing**!" Zuko barked back as the fighting spirit it in him wasn't damaged a bit even with the blood dripping from his left hand.

"Zuko, you're hurt, let me just help!" Katara replied in an aggravated tone as she reached for his hand, but the Prince stubbornly pulled it away before she could reach it. "Let me see it!" Katara growled angrily before pushing the Prince to the ground.

Zuko let out a muffled grunt as his back came in contact with the steel as Katara quickly straddled his hips. "Get off of me, you damn bitch!" Zuko growled, but it made Katara that much more motivated to help him.

"Stop acting like this Zuko!" Katara shouted as she leaned forward to grab his hands but in the process, she miscalculated the fact that Zuko had legs, and when he bucked his legs slightly, she fell forward and landing to the point where her face was now only inches away from Zuko's. After Katara shifted slightly to get control of his legs once again, she soon realized how they were both breathing heavily in their small struggle. Her eyes momentarily noticed how close their faces were.

Their parted lips were now only inches apart as Katara tried her hardest to keep the blood from rushing to her face. Zuko's eyes were closed as his breath started to return to his body as he was still in shock of how this girl was able to subdue his legs, but blamed in on the fact that he wasn't willing to use his hands just yet. Zuko opened his eyes and the first thing he noticed was Katara's breast pressing firmly against his chest. Her tanned flesh was showing because of the fire that burned a small potion of her clothes.

Zuko then shook his head in his disgust that he was actually just looking at her breasts. Zuko felt a rare feeling in his groin area as he tried to overlap those lustful feelings with the fact of who Katara was. No matter how many times the word 'peasant' went through his mind, it didn't change the fact that he felt how hard she was pressing against him for the mission of holding him down. His body was slowly betraying him and Katara noticed.

Katara looked down at Zuko once again, completely forgetting about his hands, which were now lying at his sides. She felt an unfamiliar hardness against her thigh as the heat began to build in her cheeks as reality came crashing down. Her Gran Gran had told her many things about how her body would be changing and more about men than Katara ever cared to know. But feeling this strange sensation against her thigh was all too real. Katara knew she what she was feeling and it brought back the memory of seeing Zuko naked by accident.

'Oh my…' was the only thought that passed in Katara's head. Her eyes were looking at Zuko, whose focus was still on their touching chests. Katara didn't know what was about to transpire, but losing her virginity to the Prince of the Fire Nation didn't sound like fate to her. But she knew fate was a funny, funny thing and it liked to play with people's lives quite a bit.

Zuko couldn't take it anymore. Her beautiful tanned skin and warm slender body were all too real. After being stuck at sea for two years trying to basically catch a phantom known as the Avatar, you miss out on a lot of things that only a woman could give you. Here were one, and Zuko wasn't going to let her pass him by. After a deep sigh left his lips, Katara cooed when she felt the hot air against her nearly bare breasts.

That was enough to make Katara look down and Zuko look up until their eyes matched. Everything Zuko had ever thought about her being nothing but a peasant were gone, and everything Katara thought about him being a spoiled Fire Nation Prince were gone as well. Katara didn't know what was about to happen between them in these next few moments, but Katara wanted to embrace it. Zuko swallowed to relieve his drying throat as he noticed their faces coming closer together.

Katara slid her eyes closed and slowly started to close the distance between her and Zuko's lips. Zuko looked at her when his own words formed in his head from the first day she was here. 'If only things were different…' Those words that he only used as a slight and even flippant seduction now hit him like a ton of bricks. 'If only thing were different.' Things weren't though. Even if they now had sex, it wouldn't change the fact that they were enemies and would always be if everything turned out the way it was supposed to.

Zuko knew they would never be together because things would never change. He would always be the Prince of the Fire Nation and she would always be the Water Tribe peasant that was helping the Avatar on his journey to save the world. So, he knew if they had sex, it would surely be a mistake. With that thought, Zuko grabbed his uninjured hand and a finger that didn't contain blood and pressed it against Katara's oncoming lips.

Katara's eyes opened quickly when she felt her lips come in contact with something other than Zuko's lips. Katara eyes widened when she seen Zuko pressing his finger pressing firmly against her puckered lips. After Zuko acknowledged that Katara wasn't going to pursue a kiss any longer, he removed his finger and pulled himself from underneath her. Katara allowed Zuko's body to slide from under hers as she tried to hide her embarrassed face from the Prince's eyes.

Katara sat down on her folded knees as she placed her hands on her lap in embarrassment before looking toward Zuko. The Prince sat down as well before he winced at the pain that became apparent from his left hand. Katara noticed his pain before she scooted toward him and looked into his eyes as she tried to convince him to her let help without the use of words. Zuko willingly offered his hand to her before she placed her palm underneath his hand against the top of his hand. She quietly observed the extent of the damage done to his bloody palm as all stayed quiet because after what had just happened, words seemed unnecessary

The slash across his hand was still bleeding as the fresh blood continued to run over the dried. Katara quickly bent some water with her other hand from what was left of the water from the small cup. Katara made a thin glove of water across her hand before placing it over the fresh wound. Zuko felt the soothing touch of the water and the delicate touch of the waterbender's fingertips against his wrist and her palm against the back of his hand.

His erection had long since faded and he told himself that he would never lose control like that again. Katara on the other hand had a lot to think about. She had nearly given her virginity away to the Prince of the Fire Nation, but also wondered if staying on this ship was as bad as she previously thought. Because she knew Zuko was nothing like she had ever come to expect from the Prince and Katara wondered if his personality came with any other surprises…

(To Be Continued…)


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